NURSE TO PATIENT RATIO:

EFFECTS OF NURSE STAFFING IN THE INPATIENT CARE SETTING

Kari Blazek
Youngstown State University
NURS 6900: Healthcare Issues and Trends
Dr. Valerie O’Dell
April 26 t h ,2021
 Introduction

• Unsafe nurse staffing ratios have a significant impact

on the quality and safety of patient outcomes.
◦ Acuity of patients are changing, nurse to patient
ratios are not.
◦ In 2016, there are over 42.9 million people of the
age of 65 in the U.S ( ”2017 Profile of Older
Americans” 2018)
• What can unsafe ratios cause?
◦ Increased incidence of falls
◦ Catheter associated infections
◦ Central line infections
◦ Pressure ulcers
◦ Medication errors

Female medical professional exhibiting stress. (2018). Mirror.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/record-numbers-stressed-nurses-going-11793011.
 … A “sicker” population requir[es]
intense expert care for patients with
multiple and complex co-morbidities;
Significance to an environment with expanded use of
Nursing emerging and enhanced, complex
drugs, devices, and other technologies
requiring additional specialization…
have emerged (Pearce et al.,2018, p.172).
 Effects on nurses
which effect Burnout
patient care:

Significance To Fatigue
Job
Nursing Cont. dissatisfaction

Increase in the acuity of care with no

change in ratio leads to heavy
Staffing Low nurse
workload. shortages retention
 5 states require public reporting of staffing
Only 14 States That ratios.

Have Law / 7 states require hospitals to have staffing

Regulation In Place committees.

For Safe Staffing In 1 state requires a staffing plan to be created

Inpatient Care by a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or similar.

Settings 1 state that has established mandatory

staffing ratios (“Nurse Staffing Advocacy”,n.d.) .
Proposal to Resolve the Issue
What Nurses Can Do
◦ Advocate for change in the workplace.
◦ Ask for staffing committees.
◦ Get involved with nursing coalitions that are
fighting for legislation.
◦ Contact local legislators.
◦ Use public platforms to raise awareness of
nursing problems and unsafe conditions.
What The Healthcare System Can Do
◦ Create staffing committee that include
representatives from each unit and at least
55% of members are clinical care RN’s
(Pearce et al.,2018, p.173).
◦ Publicly display and advertise organizations
statistics such as mortality rates, staffing
ratios, and satisfaction rating in real time.
◦ Encourage workplace engagement with staff
and establish lines of communication for
problems to be heard.
 Nurses are responsible for:
◦ Patient safety
◦ Quality patient care
◦ Patient advocacy
◦ Health promotion
Conclusion ◦ Caring for one’s own personal needs (sleep,
nutrition, work/life balance)
◦ Protecting their license

Unsafe nurse to patient ratios increase the risk of harm to points

mentioned above. Getting involved with legislation and
advocacy to bring relief to this problem will begin to help fulfill
the proper nurse to patient relationship.
 References

2017 Profile of Older Americans. ACL Administration for Community Living. (2018, April). https://acl.gov/aging-and-disability-in-america/data-and-research.

“Female Medical Professional Exhibiting Stress.” Mirror, 3 Jan. 2018, www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/record-numbers-stressed-nurses-going-11793011.

Nurse Staffing Advocacy. American Nurses Association . (n.d.). https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nurse-staffing/nurse-staffing-advocacy/.

Pearce, P. F., Welton, J. M., Rochin, E., Ross, S. O., Martin, D. M., Matthews, J. H., & Morgan, S. (2018). The value of nurse staffing: ANA principles

redevelopment and direction for the future. Nursing Economic$, 36(4), 169–194.