wo articles:
Bakhamis, L., Paul III, D. P., Smith, H., & Coustasse, A. (2019). Still an epidemic: the burnout syndrome in hospital registered nurses. The health care manager, 38(1), 3–10.
Dall’Ora, C., Saville, C., Rubbo, B., Turner, L., Jones, J., & Griffiths, P. (2022). Nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 104311.
Focus of group work: Inadequate Nursing staff (nurse to patient ratios)
__________________
The two articles you have provided provide evidence that inadequate nursing staff (nurse to patient ratios) is a serious problem that can have negative consequences for both nurses and patients.
The first article, “Still an Epidemic: The Burnout Syndrome in Hospital Registered Nurses,” by Bakhamis et al. (2019), found that burnout is a widespread problem among hospital registered nurses. The study found that 70% of nurses reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout, and 23% reported experiencing three or more symptoms. Burnout is associated with a number of negative consequences for nurses, including increased stress, decreased job satisfaction, and increased turnover.
The second article, “Nurse Staffing Levels and Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies,” by Dall’Ora et al. (2022), found that inadequate nurse staffing is associated with a number of negative patient outcomes, including increased risk of death, increased length of stay, and increased rates of complications. The study found that the risk of death increased by 7% for every additional patient assigned to a nurse. The study also found that inadequate nurse staffing was associated with increased rates of hospital-acquired infections, pressure ulcers, and falls.
The evidence from these two articles suggests that inadequate nursing staff is a serious problem that can have negative consequences for both nurses and patients. There are a number of things that can be done to address this problem, including increasing the number of nurses, improving the working conditions for nurses, and providing more support for nurses.
Here are some specific suggestions for how to address the problem of inadequate nursing staff:
Increase the number of nurses. This can be done by increasing the number of nursing schools, providing financial incentives for nurses to work in underserved areas, and making it easier for foreign-educated nurses to obtain licenses in the United States.
Improve the working conditions for nurses. This can be done by reducing the number of patients assigned to each nurse, providing more support staff, and giving nurses more control over their work schedules.
Provide more support for nurses. This can be done by providing nurses with access to counseling and other resources, and by creating a culture of respect and appreciation for nurses.
