5 Staffing Strategies for Engaged Nurses Better Patient Outcomes | 3
5 OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES NURSES FACE TODAY
Written by Kelly Gooch, Senior Writer/Reporter
N
urses play an integral role in the
healthcare industry, providing care
to patients and filling leadership
roles at hospitals, health systems and other
organizations
But being a nurse is not without its challenges.
It's a demanding profession that requires a lot
of dedication and commitment.
Here are five big issues facing nurses today.
Staffing is an issue of both professional
and personal concern for nurses today. In
fact, issues related to staffing levels, unit
organization or inequitable assignments are
one of the top reasons nurses leave a hospital
job, according to Karlene Kerfoot, PhD, RN,
Chief Nursing Officer for API Healthcare, a GE
Healthcare Company.
Back in June, the Health Policy Commission
unanimously approved a mandate on nurse
staffing in intensive care units throughout
Massachusetts. The regulations require
that nurses in intensive care units in
hospitals, including hospitals operated by
the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health, be assigned only up to two patients
at a given time. The regulations apply to all
ICUs, including special units for burn patients,
children and premature babies.
If staffing is inadequate, nurses contend it
threatens patient health and safety, results
in greater complexity of care, and impacts
their health and safety by increasing fatigue
and rate of injury
1. Short staffing.
