Nurses in poorer physical or mental health that their healthier counterparts are more likely to make medical errors, according to an October 23, 2017, study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The researchers conducted a survey of 1,790 nurses across the United States; more than half of respondents reported being in suboptimal health. About half of the respondents also reported having made a medical error over the previous five years. Compared with nurses in better health, the nurses who reported suboptimal health had a 26% to 71% increased likelihood of a medical error. There was also a significant relationship between greater perceived worksite wellness and a nurse's health, the authors said. An interview with one of the study's authors was published by Ohio State University on October 24, 2017. “Nurses do a great job of caring for other people, but they often don't prioritize their own self-care," the author said in the interview, adding that administrators should strive to build a culture that supports the health of their workers. “It's good for nurses, and it's good for their patients," the author said.

HRC Recommends: In its report on wellness programs in hospitals, the American Hospital Association (AHA) has stated that hospitals should lead their communities in developing a culture of health, and promoting health and wellness among personnel is key to a hospital's function as a role model for the larger community. Personnel health, safety, and wellness may also align closely with the organization's mission and strategic priorities. In addition, many hospitals have implemented health and wellness programs in an attempt to reduce personnel healthcare costs, prevent injuries, and increase employee productivity, performance, and retention. Although most hospitals have some kind of health and wellness program for personnel, program offerings vary widely. AHA recommends making the hospital a role model of health for the community, creating a culture of health, offering a variety of programs, providing both positive and negative incentives, measuring participation and outcomes, assessing return on investment, and focusing on sustainability.