Nurse Staffing Ratio

AbstractOne suggested approach to ensure safe and effective patient care has been to mandate nurse staffing ratios. In 1999 California became the first state to mandate minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals. California is not the only state to enact minimum nurse staffing ratios for hospitals, over the past four years at least eighteen other states have considered legislation regarding nurse staffing in hospitals. Policymakers are forced to consider alternatives to nurses ratios due to nurse shortages. Whether minimum staffing ratios will improve working conditions enough to increase nurse supply is unknown.

The United States healthcare system has changed significantly over the past two decades. Advances in technology and an aging population
His goal is to use components designed to address the nurse shortage using both short and longer term strategies. This can range from working in partnership with local hospitals, scholarships for nursing students, career ladder projects, workplace reform efforts, and other strategies to increase the number of nurses (California, 2002 July). An evaluation will be done to determine which strategies to increase the supply of nurses are most effective and improve the understanding of the labor market dynamics for nurses (Seago, et al,
(1999 September). California Health Care: Sicker Patients, Fewer RNs, Fewer Staffed Beds. Retrieved 10 June, 2007 from www.calnurse.org/cna/pdf/StaffingRatios6.pdfKravitz, R., & Sauve, M., & Hodge, M. (2002). Hospital NursingStaff Ratios and Quality of Care. University of California - Davis, report submitted to State of California, Department of Health Services, Licensing andCertification.

Needleman, J., & Buerhaus, P., & Mattke, S., & Stewart, M., & Zelevinsky, K. (2001). Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes in Hospitals. Washington DC: Bureau of Health Professions, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved June, 10, 2007, from http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/staffstudy.htmNew England public policy center and the Massachusetts health policy forum. (2005, July). Nurse-to-patient ratios: Research and reality. Retrieved 10 June, 2007, from http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/neppc/conreports/2005/conreport051.pdfSpetz, J. (2002). Revised Cost Estimates of Minimum Nurse-to-Patient RatioProposals. San Francisco, CA: Center for the Health Professions.

Spetz, J. (2001). "What Should We Expect from California 's Minimum Nurse Staffing Legislation?" The Journal of Nursing Administration 31(3), 132-140.

Seago, J., & Spetz, J., & Coffman, J., & Rosenoff, E., & O 'Neil, E. (2003). "Minimum Nurse to Patient Ratios: The California Workforce Initiative Survey." Nursing Economics 21(2),