This discussion will be based on two readings from this unit’s Studies section:
Associations Between Characteristics of the Nurse Work Environment and Five Nurse-Sensitive Patient Outcomes in Hospitals: A Systematic Review of Literature.
The American Nurses Association Web site section, Nurse Staffing.
In both readings, the issue of staff-to-patient ratio is explored. Staffing is a problem that encompasses patient safety, cost effectiveness, and work-life quality. In this discussion, comment on the following.
Discuss the minimum nurse-to-patient ratio where you practice. How do you reconcile staffing levels and patient outcomes with the financial constraints of most health care facilities?
How do staffing patterns impact patient care beyond the issues mentioned here?
If you live in a state with nurse staffing laws, in what ways do these laws benefit nurses and patients?
Resources:
https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nurse-staffing/
