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Guest Post by Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio RN, PhD

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Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio, RN, PhD

Let me begin by saying that there is no shortage of nurses. There are over 2.8 million of us. Interesting to note, only 66% are working and 44% are employed full time with 10% of working nurses being “very satisfied” with their jobs. A recent survey found that an astounding 75% of RN’s feel that the quality of nursing care at their facility has declined, with over 68% citing staffing levels as a major contributing factor to this problem.

The statement made by hospitals and administration that there is a nursing shortage, are patently false and evade the real issues of why nurses leave nursing thus contributing to the lack of a sufficient number of nurses at the bedside to meet patient care needs. The term “nursing shortage” becomes a pat excuse for every vacancy that can’t be filled. It is the ultimate answer that absolves the people who are responsible for creating problem – shortage of nurses at the bedside.

There is an annual turnover of approximately 200,000 nurses, which cost the hospital industry a total of nearly 10 billion dollars per year. This staggering cost is the result of the hospitals industry’s failure to retain nurses. If the funds now spent fighting a losing battle to replace disheartened nurses with travel and agency nurses, were instead devoted to improving job conditions, the nursing “shortage” could be largely solved. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted the most comprehensive study linking staffing levels to patient outcomes. The researchers found a strong and consistent relationship between nurse staffing and the outcomes in patients. Higher nurse staffing ratios result in shorter lengths of hospital stay and thus reduce both direct hospital costs of treatment.

Other studies include:

August 2005 – Medical Care
“Improving Nurse to Patient Staffing Ratios as a Cost Effective Safety Intervention”
Research showed that when nurse staffing is improved, lives are saved in a cost efficient manner.

February 2004 – Medical Care
“Nurse Burnout and Satisfaction”
Patients were more likely to report high satisfaction with their care and nurses reported less burnout when nurses worked in conditions with adequate staff.

March 2004 – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released its report entitled “Hospital Nurse Staffing And Quality of Care.”
Hospitals with low nurse staffing levels tend to have higher rates of poor patient outcomes such as pneumonia, shock, urinary tract infections and cardiac arrest.

January 2003 – Medical Care
“Fewer Licensed Nurses Leads To A Greater Number Of Adverse Events”

August 2002 – JCAHO issued a report “Nursing Shortage poses Serious Health Care Risk.”
Focuses on the severity of the current and future nursing shortage and its detrimental effects on patients.

May 2002 – New England Journal of Medicine
“Nurse Short Staffing Leads To Deadly Complications”
Jack Needleman and Peter Buerhaus found that nurses short staffing leads to deadly consequences for patients. Attention nursing administrators – focus on retaining your nurses – improve the staffing levels at the bedside!

A Nurse With a Heart

Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio, RN PhD is one of the most dynamic and entertaining speakers you will have the opportunity to experience. Laura has held CCRN certifications for over 15 years and CEN certifications for 13 years. Laura has helped thousands of nurses over the last sixteen years to prepare for the CCRN and the CEN examinations. She has held positions as staff nurse, Staff Development Instructor and Professor of Nursing.

Dr. Vonfrolio is the proprietor of Education Enterprises and the former publisher of REVOLUTION – The Journal of Nurse Empowerment. Laura has authored numerous articles in Nursing, RN, AJN and co-authored/edited eleven books such as NURSE ABUSE: Impact and Resolution, Critical Care Examination Review and 12 Lead EKG STAT! In addition to being series editor of a six volume State Board Review, Nursetest. Dr. Vonfrolio was the organizer of the Nurses March on Washington DC, March 1995 and May 10, 1996 and has appeared on Good Morning America and Nightline with Ted Koppel (May 1996). You can contact Laura at afeduprn {at} aol(.)com.