Solutions to Nurse Staffing Problems

In an American Nurses Association poll, registered nurses nationwide revealed their concerns on how staffing problems affect the quality of patient care and growing nurse shortage. The results show that adequate staffing is important in the delivery of quality patient care.

ANA President Rebecca M. Patton said,”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.”

Staffing shortage is a common problem in most healthcare facilities. In this case, nurses are subjected to mandatory overtime and double- shifts. They become over worked and burned out and when this happens, errors may occur and the quality of nursing care may be compromised. These circumstances will take a toll to both nurse and patient. As said in the article, safe nurse staffing yields better results not only for patients and nurses but also for the health care facility.

Hospitals need to come up with a system wherein the most is made out of their current staff without straining them. Team nursing is a method that can be used in staffing shortage. In 1 team, specific tasks are assigned to specific nurses. Their individual responsibilities will be more routine, thus, they can do it in a longer period of time.

Example, being assigned to provide all nursing care to 10 patients in the period of 8 hours is more tiring than only having to give medications to 15 patients in a period of 12 hours. Having to take care of a single specified task is less stressful- both mentally and physically- as compared to handling a number of different responsibilities even in a lesser period of time.

Since staffing problems in the US, seem to arise from nurse shortage – which is the lack of experienced professional nurses- promotion of taking nursing as a profession may be a solution. Encouraging more individuals to be nurses may alleviate shortage. There are also countries that produce a large number of nurses. Hiring international nurses that are within the standards may also be an option for staffing problems.

Nurses nowadays may be complaining from doing more than what they should. But as a professional nurse, to deliver quality patient care is the top priority. May it be in a low- paying, congested, cramped up public hospital or an international state-of-the-art facility, providing care and promoting wellness should never be compromised. This is our calling, this is our life.