Running head: POLICY PRIORITY ISSUE- SAFE STAFFING
NR 505 HEALTH CARE POLICY;
POLICY PRIORITY ISSUE- SAFE
STAFFING
m
er as
co
eH w
Policy Priority Issue- Safe Staffing
o.
rs e
ou urc
Justin Mark
o
Chamberlain College of Nursing
aC s
vi y re
NR 505: Health Care Policy
ed d
Fall 2015
ar stu
is
Th
sh
This study source was downloaded by 100000830034489 from CourseHero.com on 08-30-2021 00:00:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/12569564/Policy-Priority-Issue/
, POLICY PRIORITY ISSUE- SAFE STAFFING 2
Patient Safety- Safe Staffing
Patient safety is defined as the prevention of harm to patients, and is the number one
priority in healthcare facilities. All healthcare facilities have policies in place to keep patients as
safe as possible. These policies can include anything from preventing infection to education.
Every facility will have different policies in place, thus all patient safety policies will emphasize
a culture of safety in a suitable environment. One policy that is of concern is the minimum
number of nurses staffed on a unit at any given time, or the nurse to patient ratio. Every state and
m
every healthcare facility has their own nurse to patient ratio. Throughout most of the country,
er as
co
including New York, the nurse to patient ratio is frequently one nurse to seven or eight patients
eH w
on a medical/surgical unit; this is a high workload and puts a burden on nurses increasing the risk
o.
rs e
ou urc
for many things, such as medication and medical errors, infections, falls, and fatigue. Evidence-
based research supports the theory that the nurse to patient ratio has a direct impact on patient
o
safety. The policy in place setting the minimum number of nurses staffed on a unit needs to be
aC s
vi y re
ratified for the safety of patients, and nurses; policymakers and politicians need to be made
aware of the benefits of adequate nurse staffing through evidence- based research.
ed d
ar stu
Context
Healthcare representatives and nursing managers refuse to lower the nurse to patient
is
Th
ratio, despite the benefits it has on patient safety. The number one reason healthcare
representatives and nursing managers refuse to lower the ratio, or even investigate the issue, is
sh
because of the cost. In order for healthcare facilities to lower the ratio they would have to hire
more nurses, increasing their spending; however, because of the high workload patient safety
suffers. Nurses are caring for too many patients at one time, leading to fatigue and medical
This study source was downloaded by 100000830034489 from CourseHero.com on 08-30-2021 00:00:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/12569564/Policy-Priority-Issue/
NR 505 HEALTH CARE POLICY;
POLICY PRIORITY ISSUE- SAFE
STAFFING
m
er as
co
eH w
Policy Priority Issue- Safe Staffing
o.
rs e
ou urc
Justin Mark
o
Chamberlain College of Nursing
aC s
vi y re
NR 505: Health Care Policy
ed d
Fall 2015
ar stu
is
Th
sh
This study source was downloaded by 100000830034489 from CourseHero.com on 08-30-2021 00:00:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/12569564/Policy-Priority-Issue/
, POLICY PRIORITY ISSUE- SAFE STAFFING 2
Patient Safety- Safe Staffing
Patient safety is defined as the prevention of harm to patients, and is the number one
priority in healthcare facilities. All healthcare facilities have policies in place to keep patients as
safe as possible. These policies can include anything from preventing infection to education.
Every facility will have different policies in place, thus all patient safety policies will emphasize
a culture of safety in a suitable environment. One policy that is of concern is the minimum
number of nurses staffed on a unit at any given time, or the nurse to patient ratio. Every state and
m
every healthcare facility has their own nurse to patient ratio. Throughout most of the country,
er as
co
including New York, the nurse to patient ratio is frequently one nurse to seven or eight patients
eH w
on a medical/surgical unit; this is a high workload and puts a burden on nurses increasing the risk
o.
rs e
ou urc
for many things, such as medication and medical errors, infections, falls, and fatigue. Evidence-
based research supports the theory that the nurse to patient ratio has a direct impact on patient
o
safety. The policy in place setting the minimum number of nurses staffed on a unit needs to be
aC s
vi y re
ratified for the safety of patients, and nurses; policymakers and politicians need to be made
aware of the benefits of adequate nurse staffing through evidence- based research.
ed d
ar stu
Context
Healthcare representatives and nursing managers refuse to lower the nurse to patient
is
Th
ratio, despite the benefits it has on patient safety. The number one reason healthcare
representatives and nursing managers refuse to lower the ratio, or even investigate the issue, is
sh
because of the cost. In order for healthcare facilities to lower the ratio they would have to hire
more nurses, increasing their spending; however, because of the high workload patient safety
suffers. Nurses are caring for too many patients at one time, leading to fatigue and medical
This study source was downloaded by 100000830034489 from CourseHero.com on 08-30-2021 00:00:51 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/12569564/Policy-Priority-Issue/
