Monitoring the health of the work environment with a daily assessment tool: the REAL - Relative Environment Assessment Lens - indicator.

Background: Evidence shows that the health of the work environment impacts staff satisfaction, interdisciplinary communication, and patient outcomes. Utilising the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' Healthy Work Environment standards, we developed a daily assessment tool.

Methods: The Relative Environment Assessment Lens (REAL) Indicator was developed using a consensus-based method to evaluate the health of the work environment and to identify opportunities for improvement from the front-line staff.