Image of nurses' hands at computer keyboard

 

The American Nurses Association and Avalere Health LLC have released a white paper focused on staffing.

“Optimal Nurse Staffing to Improve Quality of Care and Patient Outcomes” can be used a resource to implement evidence-based staffing plans, the groups said. The paper looks at how existing staffing systems are often antiquated and lack flexibility.

“This white paper is our way of providing evidence to support the need for changes in nurse staffing across all healthcare settings,” said Pamela F. Cipriano, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association.

The white paper highlights studies demonstrating how appropriate nurse staffing helps to achieve both clinical and economic improvements, from reducing medication and other errors to shortening patients’ hospital length of stay.

The Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act (H.R. 2083/ S.1132), endorsed by ANA, would require Medicare-participating hospitals to establish registered nurse staffing plans using a committee, the organization noted.

The paper is the first in a series. Access the white paper executive summary here.