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Nursing shortages hurt patient care

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, December 1, 2004

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Nursing is one of the five fastest-growing professions in the United States, according to the Department of Labor in Washington, DC. That's promising news for those interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare industry. However, it's not so promising for the country's hospitals which need to fill 126,000 nursing positions right now and could lose their accreditation due to a lack of qualified personnel.

According to a recent report by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) blames the shortage on 19% of all hospital-associated medical errors resulting in death or serious injury. Statistics from a 2001 survey by the American Nurses Association are just as discouraging. Seventy-five percent of the nurses polled believe that quality of care is seriously lacking at their own hospitals.

The blame for the shortage has been attributed to a number of reasons, including the 1997 Balanced Budget Act that cut Medicare funding for hospital reimbursements. It contributed to a domino effect with hospital cutbacks and layoffs. Healthcare maintenance plans (HMOs) were blamed, as well. HMOs began urging hospitals to reduce the length of time patients recuperated in the hospital. Hospitals obliged, reduced the number of registered nurses, and hired licensed practical nurses and nursing aides instead. Registered nurses, who kept their jobs, faced increased workloads and mandatory overtime. Naturally, they began seeking out better work environments, where they could continue to earn $45,000 to $80,000 peryear without all the stress.

Healthcare advocates and organizations are looking into a variety of solutions. Read the entire article in Women's E News</a>.

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