The Nurse-Patient Ratio

Impact the Nurse-patient ratio has on workloads

Betty Jo Ayers Fayetteville State University Dr. D. Jefferys Nursing 300- Group 1 Project

Introduction:

The nurse-patient ratio has been a debatable problem for many years. It has been found that it is key in ensuring patient safety, protecting the nurses and ensuring overall quality of health care service.

Background Information:

There are four main reasons nurses are experiencing higher workloads than before:

• Inadequate amount of nurses
• Increase need for nurses
• decreased staffing and increased overtime
• decrease in duration of patient stays

Problems with higher patient ratios:

• Causes lower quality of care
• Increases