The main problem is that nurse staffing ration is affecting patient's safety. Since there is no Nurse Technicians and not enough nurses, there is so much to do and not enough resources to help me. One of my patients is complaining of severe abdominal pain and the physician is angry with me because I wasn't able to bring the equipment to her. One of the actions I would do speak to the physician and explain to her that charge nurse is currently taking care of a serious patient. In addition, I will let her know that a patient who just had surgery is experiencing severe pain and I need to check on him first. The physician needs to understand that there are not enough nurses on this shift. I will also tell her that I will help her after I check…
Raquel, M., & Sean, C. (2011). Staffing with nurse understaffing and high patient churn linked to heightened inpatient mortality risk in a single site study. Evidence based nursing, Vol. 14, p122-123. Retrieved on April 22, 2015 from. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ebn.2011.100052…
Welton, J. M. (2007, September). Mandatory hospital nurse to patient staffing ratios: Time to take a different approach. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 12. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol12No03Man01.…
Associate degree in nursing studies focuses on skills more than theory. AD graduates are often more “hands on” practitioners. ADN nurses are also required to critical think but are task oriented. The Associated Degree in nursing school programs provides students with the knowledge and skills essential for entry into nursing practice and success on the nursing…
Advanced practice nurses are nurses who have a masters or doctorate level education Buppert, 2009). They can be divided into four groups: nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners (Buppert, 2009). Nurse practitioners can be further divided into two more specific groups, primary care nurse practitioners and acute care nurse practitioners (Arizona State Board of Nursing, 2009b). The education for these two certifications differs, based on the function of the nurse practitioner. The scopes of practice and functions of the primary care nurse practitioner and the acute care nurse practitioner have some similarities and…
While researching texts written and published about Nurse Practitioners, I have found that Nurse Practitioners are rapidly becoming the top health partner choice for many Americans. Nurse Practitioners have been servicing patients for over forty years. The NP role had its initiation in the mid-sixties in response to a lack of physicians in the United States.They can perform very extensive and concentrated examinations; distinguish and treat common keen illnesses, as well as laboratory tests; and educate and instruct patients and their loved ones about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and possible health care options. In all fifty states Nurse Practitioners are allowed to prescribe medications to patients, including controlled substances. Only twenty-six states allow Nurse…
Advanced practice nurse’s are reimbursed at a lower rate for the same services than physicians by Medicare, Medicaid and other private insurance companies. American medical association sets our scope of practice and regulations and legislation is often influenced by these recommendations. Advanced practice nurses should be consider as equal members of the healthcare provider community and receive equal reimbursement. To make these changes one must develop a plan and advocate for the profession.…
There is a diverse range of aspects related to nursing staffing in health care organizations. Staffing levels in hospitals are likely to have a bearing on the assurance in the delivery of safe and reliable care. However, nursing staffing challenges have remained perennial prompting prolonged attention on the allocation of nurse staffing resources to facilitate patient safety (Weston et al., 2012). Nevertheless, focus on staffing levels has particularly increased with the prevailing shortage of nurses (Rochefort, et al., 2015). Furthermore, there have been changes in the manner nursing is approached. Traditionally, it would be assumed that well-trained practitioners were not prone to errors. Such was consistent with the traditional tendency…
Mandatory nurse-patient staffing ratios have been a hot topic of discussion for over 15 years. As of today, California is the only state with actual state mandated nurse- patient ratios in place. I support mandatory nurse-patient staffing ratios because research has shown that patients have better outcomes when cared for by nurses who practice under state mandated nurse-patient ratios. According to the article Mandatory Nurse-Patient Ratios “support for mandatory-patient ratios is drawn from the belief that regulated nurse (RN) staffing will increase positive patient outcomes, decrease nursing shortages, increase nurse recruitment and job satisfaction (T, 2011).…
The nursing profession, and nursing care of patients are a critical part of positive patient outcomes. Nurses are the face of healthcare today and are the link to health and personal care and continued improvement in patient care. The points of this study bring out the need and correlation for quality and sufficient staffing. The need, desire and demand is there to increase patient outcomes and in order to do this we need to start with sufficient staffing on our nursing units. This will then increase nursing satisfaction, decrease the nursing workload and allow for more individual…
What is the one conversation that usually gets heated when talking to nurses? Bring up the subject of staffing levels on their unit. As a nurse assistant, staff nurse, charge nurse or nursing administrator, inadequate staffing creates tension and stress. When staffing is inadequate patient safety, infection rates, patient satisfaction and staff satisfaction are only a few of the areas affected. Many hospital administrators and lawmakers want to make patient care a numbers game. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires hospitals to create a staffing plan that defines staffing effectiveness as the skill mix, competence, and effectiveness related to the services needed. (Morgan, 2004) When it comes to staffing, one size does not always fit all. Patients are individuals with individual needs and one patient with a certain diagnosis can take much less attention and time from the nurse than a patient of the same age with the same diagnosis. For good nurses the main goals during their shift is giving exception patient care and providing a safe environment. “The notion of high-quality care in hospitals is essential to public safety isn’t new. In 1751 Benjamin Franklin founded America’s first hospital-Pennsylvania Hospital-and commented that patients ultimately suffer and die without sound nursing care.” (Clarke, 2003) Nursing leaders are under tremendous pressure to lower costs while improving quality. (Carter, 2004) It is often found that…
Problem Description Imagine not having a nurse come into look after you, after you have had surgery. No one to check your vitals, give you replacements on your IV, no one to ask you how you are feeling, and no one to come in on time to give you your medications. The nationwide nursing shortages are increasing and creating not only a problem for the health care system but also for patients and their well being. Nurses are an ideal part of the healthcare system providing serious care to clients ranging in all age groups.…
The familiar phrase of overworked and under appreciated has rang through the nursing field. As health care reform and insurances make critical changes, nurses are forced to keep up. Nursing managers are in a bind to meet the new budget cuts and criteria set forth by these changes, which includes higher patient to nurse ratios. Low staffing can lead to nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction and poor staff retention (International Journal of Nursing Practice, 2014). This article will outline some issues at hand with unsafe staffing ratios and the legislative actions regarding this matter.…
Imagine being admitted into the hospital with a serious illness and knowing that you may not get the proper care that you need and desire because the nursing staff is short. That could be very dangerous depending on what’s going on with your health. Nurses have always been a huge part of the medical field because of the diversity of the occupation. Patients rely on the care of nurses while healing/recovering and when that care can’t be given, there is a big problem. The shortage of nurses in the twenty-first century will greatly impact the well being and outcome of patients.…
In the United States, Registered Nurses (R.N.) make up the largest recorded working population of the health care profession, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 2.7 percent of the workforce comprises of nurses compared to 3.6 percent in the last 6 years (A.A.C.N., 2013). This decrease is attributed to the current shortage and high turnover of nurses. This current trend in the nursing profession has a great effect on the provision of health care because it has reduced the quality of care of patients, increased accidents amongst patients, absenteeism rates and staffing among others.…