Staffing impacts care quality

Outcome of nurse shortage causes concern

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Story Created: May 21, 2008 at 11:30 AM AKDT

Story Updated: May 21, 2008 at 11:30 AM AKDT

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- An American Nurses Association poll of registered nurses nationwide reveals their significant concerns over how nurse staffing affects the quality of care, and contributes to the growing nursing shortage. The results highlight the need for adequate nurse staffing critical to the delivery of quality patient care.

The poll of more than ten thousand nurses nationwide shows the nurses' perspective on how staffing levels impact their work environment:
-- 73% of nurses asked don't believe the staffing on their unit or shift is sufficient.
-- 59.8% of those asked said they knew of someone who left direct care nursing due to concerns about safe staffing.
-- Of the 51.9% of respondents who are considering leaving their current position, 46% cite inadequate staffing as the reason.
-- 51.7% of respondents said they thought the quality of nursing care on their unit has declined in the last year.
-- 48.2% would not feel confident having someone close to them receiving are in the facility where they work.

"Safe nurse staffing has been linked to more positive patient outcomes, decreased length of hospital stay, and decreased number of medical errors and patient falls. It has also been shown to improve nurse satisfaction and decrease burnout, both significant factors contributing to nurses leaving the profession. It benefits the patient by improving care, the hospital by reducing cost and the nurse by improving the work environment. That is why it's vital to enact legislation that will set safe staffing levels, and why ANA is such a strong advocate for the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act," said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN ,CNOR