One of the bills that was presented in question 1 was the S.1567 bill that was introduced to congress in 2021. This bill will help to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals, and for other purposes. Recent changes in health care delivery systems that have resulted in higher acuity levels among patients in health care facilities increase the need for improved quality measures in order to protect patient care and reduce the incidence of medical errors. Requirements for direct care registered nurse staffing ratios will help address the registered nurse shortage in the United States by aiding in recruitment of new registered nurses and improving retention of registered nurses who are considering leaving direct patient care because of demands created by inadequate staffing. Establishing safe staffing standards for direct care registered nurses is a critical component of assuring that there is adequate hospital staffing at all levels to improve the delivery of quality care and protect patient safety.
As a doctorally prepared nurse I plan to influence change will with this bill by advocating for my organization to adhere to the patient safety results of recognizing this bill. A patient assignment may be included in the calculation of the direct care registered nurse-to-patient ratios required in this subsection only if care is provided by a direct care registered nurse and the provision of care to the particular patient is within that direct care registered nurse’s competence. According to (Griffiths et al, 2018), Low Registered Nurse staffing is associated with reports of missed nursing care in hospitals. Missed care is a promising indicator of nurse staffing adequacy. The connection between hospital patient outcomes and nurse staffing has been well documented in healthcare research. Nursing leaders, including chief nursing officers, nurse managers, and others, have been at the forefront of implementing strategies to manage nursing levels and thereby improve quality of care. Understanding the relationship between nurse staffing shortages and patient outcomes within the structure of the U.S. healthcare system is crucial to dealing with what may be one of the most significant challenges of modern healthcare. The role of nurse staffing to maintain patient safety was recognized in the safe staffing guidelines for adult hospital wards produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Brown, S. (Senator). (2021, May 11). S. 1567- Nurse staffing standards for hospital patient safety and quality care act of 2021. Congress.gov. Retrieved on March 2, 2023, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1567/text
Griffiths, P., Recio-Saucedo, A., Dall’Ora, C., Briggs, J., Maruotti, A., Meredith, P., Smith, G. B., Ball, J., & Missed Care Study Group (2018). The association between nurse staffing and omissions in nursing care: A systematic review. Journal of advanced nursing, 74(7), 1474–1487. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13564
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