Sources that can help us plan staffing models or determine appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios include standards defined by professional nursing organizations and regulatory agencies, and benchmarks from the American Nurses Association’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. Context Nurses have been fighting for better staffing for a long time. This year in February, registered nurses in our nation’s capital gathered together to announce the introduction of safe staffing legislation that would set minimum, numerical RN-to-patient ratios in district hospitals, with extra staffing depending on the acuity of the patient (DC nurses, 2013). In 1999, California became the first state to pass legislation mandating minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (Chapman, et al., 2009). Nursing unions in California lobbied for this legislation because nurses were overworked and patient safety was an issue.
Resuscitation rates are higher in these hospitals as well. Not only are mortality rates decreased but decubitus ulcers and post operative complications are reduced along with the amount of time spent in the hospital. “Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that surgical patients in Magnet hospitals had 14% lower odds of inpatient death within 30 days and 12% lower odds of failure-to-rescue compared with patients cared for in non-Magnet hospitals.” (2008) Magnet hospitals are employing more BSN level nurses than ADN level nurses. They are making a push to have 80% of their nursing staff be educated at the BSN level and higher. The acuity level of patients is becoming more difficult and frail, requiring a higher level training on the nurse’s part to provide care along with patient
Using a patient care situation, this paper will also look at the differences in approach and outcome. Education is an important factor in our healthcare practice today and should not be overlooked when considering advancing one’s education, which increases the quality of care in our healthcare systems. Associate Degree Level Nursing The associate nursing degree (ADN) first began in 1951 with the help of Mildred Montag, Nurse Educator. As a result of the post war nursing shortage, Montag began a study, which launched the AD educational movement (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, pp. 14-15).
These two additional years give the BSN nurse additional liberal arts and theoretical education (Cresia & Friberg, 2011, Chapter 1). When presented with a patient issue in practice, this will give the BSN educated nurse additional reserves to pull from when making care decisions and performing assessments. The AACN states that the RN “requires critical thinking and problem solving skills; a sound foundation in a broad range of basic sciences; knowledge of behavioral, social and management sciences; and the ability to analyze and communicate
Identify one area of nursing research that has improved patient outcomes. State the study and its impact on patient care. How have these findings changed your nursing practice? For many years nurse staffing ratio has continued to be a major problem. Nurses are given assignments based on the number of staff present and not on the acuity of the patient therefore affecting the patient’s outcome.
Compassion Fatigue Crystal D. Lynch Grand Canyon University: HLT 310 September 1, 2013 Combatting Compassion Fatigue The idea of caring for others is the motivating reason that draws most people into nursing. The concept of being a supportive part of a person’s health care needs is exactly the cause of compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue can hit the best of nurses. Nurses who are highly driven and detail oriented are at a higher risk for developing compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue was a term first applied in 1992; it is described as a syndrome that occurs in nurses when caring for a patient facing life-altering or life-threatening changes resulting from an illness.
At the peak of the 1980s, people’s opinion changed because they realized Nurse Practitioners had the same education as physicians and were cost effective(Field 55). Nurse Practitioners have gone from being mistrusted to ranking high among the most distinguished doctors. The work environment for a Nurse Practitioner depends on his or her specialty. NPs may work anywhere from big city hospitals to rural country settings. In some cases they may work long, inconvenient hours(“Nurse Practitioner” 59).
I loved going with her and see what she was doing like taking care of other people and help them get well. That is when I realized my passion for nursing and I wanted to be like my mom, a nurse, to help and care of others. When we look up the word “nurse” in the dictionary, we will read something like “somebody who cares for a sick person.” I believe that there is more into that simple definition. Nursing is a very powerful profession, it allows people to influence and touch lives. I am very willing to achieve this big responsibility.
Florence believed it was the nurse’s job to put the patient in the best possible condition for healing, I believe this to be true as well, but do not feel it is a job just for the nurse. We have so many more professional types that specialize in various areas that I feel it is the “teams” job to put the person in the best possible condition for healing. Florence believed in community health nursing and working with the government. I believe this to be a part of the nurse’s job as well. In my definition I also stated to empathize with the patient and to listen to the patient.
As cultural brokers, nurses also facilitate understanding of the patient’s beliefs with that of the other healthcare providers involve in the care. Nurses also help negotiate the boundary when cultures do not meet and help mediate and resolve conflicts. In addition, nurses also help facilitate the patient’s knowledge toward health, wellness, and healing especially on very important matters such as adherence to diet, activity, physician appointments, and medication instructions. Nurses who are culturally competent and act as cultural brokers improve the quality of interpersonal care that patients receive. This is because patients who can let their needs and issues be