Nurse Staffing Ratios
Nurse staffing ratios
Running head: NURSE STAFFING RATIOS
Nurse Staffing Ratios
Maureen K. Halstead
Grand Canyon University: Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management/451V
September 15, 2012
Nurse Staffing Ratios Over the past number of years there has been a nursing shortage which has led to the need of more registered nurses in the hospital setting. This is due to the uprising acuity of patient care and a decrease in there overall hospital stay. In order for the patients to get safe and quality care, the staffing, education and experience of the nursing staff needs to be made a priority. Not only has the safety and quality of patient care suffered, the working conditions in hospitals have also got worse due to the hospitals not keeping up with increase demand of nurses (Welton, 2007). Hospitals that don’t have adequate staffing tend to have an increased rate of negative patient outcomes. Some of these negative outcomes that are potentially caused by the decrease in nursing care are shock, pneumonia, cardiac arrest and urinary tract infections (Stanton, 2004). This has led to state legislatures adding mandatory laws that promote adequate staffing regardless of the severity or acuity of the patients. The additional costs that are required to staff the hospitals with additional registered nurses are unfunded which means that staffing can be decreased in other work areas (Welton, 2007). This shortage is a problem that is affecting not only the patients, but also the staff. Nurse management and leadership play a significant role in finding a balance among all involved. Throughout this paper, the author will be discussing how the managers and leaders play a significant role in the issue of nurse staffing ratios in order to promote quality and safe care for the patients. Also, the author will discuss some tools and skills that are beneficial in supporting the nursing staff and the overall demands in the hospital
Running head: NURSE STAFFING RATIOS
Nurse Staffing Ratios
Maureen K. Halstead
Grand Canyon University: Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management/451V
September 15, 2012
Nurse Staffing Ratios Over the past number of years there has been a nursing shortage which has led to the need of more registered nurses in the hospital setting. This is due to the uprising acuity of patient care and a decrease in there overall hospital stay. In order for the patients to get safe and quality care, the staffing, education and experience of the nursing staff needs to be made a priority. Not only has the safety and quality of patient care suffered, the working conditions in hospitals have also got worse due to the hospitals not keeping up with increase demand of nurses (Welton, 2007). Hospitals that don’t have adequate staffing tend to have an increased rate of negative patient outcomes. Some of these negative outcomes that are potentially caused by the decrease in nursing care are shock, pneumonia, cardiac arrest and urinary tract infections (Stanton, 2004). This has led to state legislatures adding mandatory laws that promote adequate staffing regardless of the severity or acuity of the patients. The additional costs that are required to staff the hospitals with additional registered nurses are unfunded which means that staffing can be decreased in other work areas (Welton, 2007). This shortage is a problem that is affecting not only the patients, but also the staff. Nurse management and leadership play a significant role in finding a balance among all involved. Throughout this paper, the author will be discussing how the managers and leaders play a significant role in the issue of nurse staffing ratios in order to promote quality and safe care for the patients. Also, the author will discuss some tools and skills that are beneficial in supporting the nursing staff and the overall demands in the hospital
References: Donnelly, G. F. (2003). How leadership works: Myths and theories. Five keys to successful nursing management. Philadelphia: Lippincott, William & Wilkins. GCU.edu. (2011). Module 2 Readings. Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from Grand Canyon University website: https://lc.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html Hauser, J.L. & Preston, P. (2005). Communication Strategies for Getting the Results You Want. Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from: https://lc.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html Stanton, M. W. (2004). Hospital Nurse Staffing and Quality of Care. Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality, 1(14), pgs 1-9. Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/nursestaffing/nursestaff.pdf Welton, J. M. (2007). Mandatory Hospital Nurse to Patient Staffing Ratios: Time to Take a Different Approach. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 3(12). Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from: http://gm6.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume122007/No3Sept07/MandatoryNursetoPatientRatios.aspx