State-mandated nurse-to-patient ratios remains a controversial topic in healthcare. Sufficient nurse staffing is key to ensure adequate patient care, while scarce staffing effects patients’ safety and puts nurses at risk for burnout. Determining nurse-to-patient ratios in nursing facilities remains a challenge for the nursing profession. There are many factors to consider when determining staffing methods, such as cost, nurses’ satisfaction, patient outcomes and safety. Mandating ratios is one attempt at ensuring nurses’ workloads do not exceed what is needed for adequate patient care and safety.
Mandatory overtime is an issue faced by many nurses across the nation. It is seen as a solution to the nursing shortage crisis; however, it is not a sustainable solution as it has led to an increase in medical errors, increased patient mortality, decreased job satisfaction, nurse fatigue, and deficits in nurse’s work performance. Several states have enacted or are considering laws to prohibit this problem. According to Rubenfire, “This is something that's been going on in hospitals for a very long time,” Ruben noted. “But it is not as focused on as much in the past.”
What was once thought of as a profession driven by compassion and the desire to help those in need has now become filled with weary burnt out nurses who have lost sight of their purpose. Stress has caused them to distance themselves from the principles nursing is built upon. Our health care system needs to be revamped to improve the quality of care being administered. Nurses can be proactive and take steps to avoid burning out but, our health care administrators have to take matters into their hands because they have the capacity to initiate change. They must realize the gravity of the situation and take an offensive position to make a stand against the crisis of nursing
In less acute circumstances, long term outcome of understaffing can also be detrimental to patient condition. Often, when a staff member is overwhelmed with the workload, nursing actions which are perceived less critical may be pushed to the back burner. Debilitated patients may not be turned and repositioned resulting in hospital acquired pressure ulcers, which not only affects patient outcome, but also taxes the hospital
In my clinical experienced, I witnessed nurses who were assigned and burdened with too many patients. Certainly, staffing impacts the quality of care that the patient receives that is why I think that it is important for nurses to speak up and let the administration know what is happening. For me, this represents the nurses’ ability to make decisions considering many issues that affect their personal welfare, their practice environment, and the quality of patient care that they provide. Nursing is a trusted profession, and for the public, the strike is a symbol of a negative behavior. In order to uphold nursing’s image and allow for management/hospitals to respond effectively in maintaining patient care, a 10-day notice of intent is required (Cherry & Jacob, 2017, p.
Due to hospital care reaching an all-time high in America, we need nurses now more than ever before. Currently in America, we have an issue with nurses having too many paperwork to fill out. In the article “We Need More Nurses” by Alexandra Robbins argues we need more nurses in the hospital. Nursing shortage has been a common issue throughout the world. Because of this issue others are being affected in many different ways.
In studying Registered Nursing one will find that they have to be compassionate and want to care for others. Registered Nurses assist physicians with suffering patients of any medical condition. They help to decide the patient’s medicine, treatment, recovery, and educate the them and their families on post-medical treatment. They need to have bedside manner, and be able to prepare patients for surgery. Registered Nursing careers range anywhere from critical care, oncology, mental health, to an everyday school nurse.
I thought about nursing burnout through watching the video by speaker Madelyn Blaire. Burnout is categorized as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Burnout can lead to dulled emotions and detachment. I wonder why nurses are burning out.
Large patient loads combined with a stressful work environment affects nurses’ abilities to provide quality healthcare. Patient safety should never be compromised. It is our responsibility to learn from research and improve our current nurse staffing ratios. Nurse staffing is key and affects all other outcomes. Without nurses administering the right treatment at the right time to the right patients, all other healthcare interventions are not effective.
“More highly educated nursing workforce is critical to meeting the nation’s nursing needs and delivering safe, effective patient care….. Without a more educated nursing workforce, the nation’s health will be further at risk (Tri-council for Nursing, 2010).” As the acuity of the patient increases daily, so is the need for increases of higher education for nurses. The factor of increasing complexity of patient health require higher education for the liability of safe practice, thus is an agreeable requirement for employers to place upon the employees. Acquiring a bachelor’s degree is only an improvement for everyone.
What roles does the nurse play in ensuring the implementation of quality and safety initiatives? The nurse must ensure that all federal guidelines are followed in order to continue to receive funding for the Head Start program. Without these funds Head Start would be unable to continue to operate. Some of the guidelines for funding include quality and safety initiatives that must be followed.
This is important evidence because it gives us conditions and results of what can happen if patients get lower quality care. Patients’ are not having enough time getting checked up by a nurse, and nurses would miss some diagnostics. Patients are getting sick because of the poor care they are receiving from nurses. The care patients can get is affected by a nurse shortage, “Nursing workload definitely affects the time that a nurse can allot to various tasks. Under a heavy workload, nurses may not have sufficient time to perform tasks that can have a direct effect on patient safety.
In the leadership in care delivery course, we were assigned to a hospital to perform clinical hours and provide care to four patients. Additionally, the purpose of this paper is to explain and provide examples on how our patient care included the concepts of Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN) competencies, delegation, handoff reporting, and a reflection of the clinical experience. Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN) Competencies QSEN consists of six competencies: patient centered care, quality improvement, teamwork and collaboration, safety, informatics, and evidence based practice. To provide patient-centered care, I had to educate the patient when administering medications on why the patient was taking the medication and side effects. Care had to be individualized with each patient and it included providing respect with his or her decisions in their care.
There are many issues in debate need more studies and to met appropriate position in these issues, so, there is position statement that defined is stand on a topic or debate to lets people know where you’re is this topic, and can be used in policy, literature, ethics, and legislation (Education Portal, 2013). According to American Nurses Association position statement defined as a show your opinion of action by explanation, a justification or a recommendation for this action (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2014) In psychiatric field there are many issues need position statement for increase the quality of care in psychiatric field and choosing the best decision. Mental disorders account for a significant and growing proportion of the global
Nurses fatigue is growing problem nurse face each day in the healthcare environment, and he can be caused by long hours, sleep deprivation, and possibly by accepting extra assignments can be dangerous for both nurses and patient. These inadequacies can result in major implications for the health and safety of registered nurses and can compromise patient care which can lead to fatalities. (American Nurses Association, 2014). In my experience, being fatigued from working much 12-hour shifts consecutively was very difficult as I felt extremely tired, resulting in lack of focus, missing important details during the handing over the process with impaired cognitive functioning. This I found was detrimental to the patients and myself as it impedes quality and has a deleterious effect on patient safety.
