Low Staffing Level of Nurses Linked to ‘Adverse Outcomes’
Low staffing levels of nurses may contribute to thousands of deaths each year, while higher levels of staffing may reduce "adverse outcomes" by 3% to 12%, a study commissioned by the Health Resources and Services Administration found. The Boston Globe reports that the study examined more than five million patient discharges from 799 hospitals in 1997 and compared medical outcomes that were "better or worse" because of the number of nurses or the ratio of registered nurses to "less skilled nurses." The study found links between staffing levels and urinary tract infections, pneumonia, shock, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and length of hospital visits in surgery patients. Peter Bueurhaus, an official at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and co-author of the report, said, "It's going to be awfully hard to say we don't need to be concerned about staffing levels, or that these are just complaining nurses." With staffing levels low nationwide, unions have supported implementing mandatory mandating staffing levels. However, Bueurhaus added, "For lots of reasons, mandating staffing levels is not a good idea. Not every nurse is equal. I don't think (mandates) are a solution." David Schildmeier, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Nursing Association, said the study proves that "staffing does make a difference." HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said, "This study underscores why the Bush administration budget increases funding for nurse training programs. We have to take action to address the emerging nurse shortage to protect the health and well-being of all patients" (Saltus, Boston Globe, 4/24). The study is available at
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dn/staffstudy.htm