Nursing Shortages and Effect on Patient Care Outcomes

Introduction

Providing care for patients in hospitals is multifaceted and requires a joint effort from all the healthcare workers. Self-management and autonomy among patients have been advocated to address nursing challenges. According to Aiken (2015), there is substantial concern about the shortage of nursing and the impact on patient outcomes. There is a need to address the problem for the improvement of the healthcare system. Nurse staffing is vital in determining quality care in health facilities and the delivery of high-quality patient care. Therefore, nurse staffing is a crucial component when determining health policy issues and patient outcomes.

Objectives

1. To provide patient care that minimizes the possibility of medical errors resulting in positive outcomes
2. To provide relevant information concerning exceptional patient care to improve their outcomes
3. To advance standardized staffing and outcomes measures for quality improvement and research purposes
4. To deliver high-quality patient care by nurses being compassionate
5. To address the overall health of people and communities

Rationale

Nurses are crucial in advancing medical research because of their continuous interaction with patients from diverse groups. In such consideration, the shortage of nurses negatively contributes to social justice. Good nurse-patient ratios improve the independence of the nursing staff because they can concentrate on individual cases. Diversity is also enhanced using agreement-based standards to measure the quality of care and public reporting on whether health care services are efficient, safe, equitable, and patient-centered. Health professionals develop strategic plans that continually improve care systems and oversee resource allocations. Arrangements of communication, teamwork, and problem recognition among nurses contribute to a hospital’s efficient operations and the management of challenging and changing stressors.

Reference

Aiken, L. H. (2015). Nursing: Saving lives, improving patient care outcomes. Shaping Health Policy Through Nursing Research, 12(1), 22-46.