Registered nurses are the backbone of America’s health systems, providing care and support to patients across the lifespan. Appropriate nurse staffing is critical to ensure safe and effective care for patients. Nurse staffing is a complex topic; nurse administrators find themselves facing escalating challenges to meet staffing needs. These challenges can be attributed to a variety of factors, both historical and new. This article examines the current factors contributing to nursing shortages, nurse staffing challenges, and the implications of inappropriate staffing on both financial and patient outcomes. The consequences to patients when staffing is inadequate can be serious, as can the impact upon the healthcare organization where the patient is receiving care. These impacts include financial, human resources, and reputational risks. The correlation between high RN turnover and reduced financial health is now understood by many health system leaders.

Read More