Strategic management in nursing: key to improving the quality of care in hospital institutions

Abstract

Strategic management in nursing has become a central element for ensuring the quality of care in hospitals by efficiently integrating human, technological, and organisational resources with institutional objectives, thereby enabling responses to the growing demands of the healthcare system and promoting service sustainability. This role extends beyond the administration of care, encompassing the planning, organisation, direction, and evaluation of processes that optimise patient care and foster continuous improvement, particularly within complex contexts such as the hospital systems in Panama and Ecuador. The literature review, conducted using a systematic approach and following the PRISMA protocol, demonstrates that strategic management enhances operational efficiency, patient safety, and staff satisfaction, while reinforcing nursing leadership as a key component for institutional innovation and organisational resilience. Furthermore, it facilitates the implementation of quality indicators, the consolidation of professional competencies, and interdisciplinary coordination, all of which are essential for achieving measurable and sustainable outcomes. This analysis highlights progress, limitations, and research gaps, emphasising the importance of documenting experiences and generating evidence to guide future practices and health policies, ensuring that strategic nursing management effectively strengthens care quality and equity in regional hospital services.