Intensity of registered nurse participation in nursing home decision making.

In this study of data obtained from nursing home administrators and directors of nursing, we found that intensity of registered nurses' (RNs') participation in nursing home decision making varied with decision content and decision level. The primary decision activity in which RNs participated was raising the issue. The decision activity in which they participated least was choosing the alternative. The primary mechanism for RN involvement was through informal meetings. Patterns of participation varied across nursing homes and were important in explaining the extent to which RNs influence decision outcomes. RN influence over the final choice was explained by their involvement in the decision activity of raising the issue and by their involvement through informal meetings.