Leadership character: antidote to organizational fatigue.

Despite the tremendous gains nurse leaders have made in shaping the environment of care, an observable, dysfunctional dynamic resulting in organizational fatigue threatens the sustainability of those gains. At its peak, this dynamic cascades through all levels of nursing leadership, causing exhaustion, diminished decision making, and reluctance by nurses to assume formal leadership roles. In the worst case, this dynamic reaches the bedside with the potential to cause harm to patients. The authors offer a prescription for organizational fatigue, based on the cross-cultural research of Dr Angeles Arrien. Following this prescription can lead to healthier leaders, stronger nursing organizations, a richer pipeline of future nurse leaders, and a safer environment for patients.