Preparation of nurse leaders in the 21st century workplace

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, “To Err is Human,”1 alerted health care providers and consumers to the threats to patient safety and the need for what is known as transformational leadership in management of health care organizations. As the internal and external environment of current health care continues to be challenged by the attempt to create more reliable organizations, nurse leaders need to be prepared with skills for the successful implementation of complex initiatives and innovative approaches to facilitate the safest health care possible.