Nurse-to-Patient Ratio

Nurse-to-Patient Ratio

Introduction

Nurse-to-patient ratio is one of the most significant problems faced by the healthcare industry of the United States. Moreover, the anomalies in nurse-to patient ratio influences the satisfaction level of patients as the concept of evidence based care deteriorates. In addition, due to the dissatisfaction caused to the major stakeholders of the healthcare industry (patients), the scope of nursing profession also decline due to the shortage in demand of nursing services. Ultimately, the scope of nursing profession declines. The care required by the patient in case of any anomaly disturbs; hence, the patients are unable to get evidence based care from the nurses. The anomaly in the nurse-to-patient ratio does not limit to the healthcare industry of the United States; but, the irregularity is a global concern. Therefore, there is a strong need to construct effective policies and measures in order to cope with the nurse-to-patient ratio anomalies.

The characteristics of these factors range from the instructional features to remuneration concern. Hence, a credible plan must be constructed in order to sort any concern regarding the nurse-to-patient ratio anomaly. Moreover, the shortage of nursing workforce is also a significant concern while providing evidence based care. Hence, the by raising the scope of nursing profession the issue of nursing shortage can be addressed. After analyzing different sources and information regarding the nurse-to-patient ratio, this paper will present a plan that can be used to effectively cope with nurse-to patient ratio concerns. The healthcare authorities regulating evidence based care and nursing service supervision can implement the suggested plan to address the issues related to nurse-to-patient ratio in order to assure evidence based care.

Statement of Purpose

Nurse-to-patient ratio is correlated with the job satisfaction of nurses and patients; hence, the anomalies in the nurse-to-patient ratio have a significant influence on the performance of the healthcare industry. Selection of nursing as a career has long been motivated by the desire to care for patients in an altruistic and unselfish manner. Unfortunately, altruism and unselfish benevolence seem to be minor factors in the selection of a modern day career. Today, the U.S is facing a nursing shortage. This shortage projects to worsen so that by the year 2020 the RN workforce will be 20 percent lower than that needed to fill demands. When an RN workforce shortage exists a concomitant effect on LPNs and LPN employers since both serve a vital complement to healthcare delivery and both make up a significant percent of persons on the healthcare team. While there are many causes for the present nursing shortage, a major contributing factor is the revolution in fundamentals values in what we expect in life that has occurred since the 1960s. An understanding of the change in fundamental values can assist in identifying interventions that can be used to address this crisis in healthcare.

Nurse-to-Patient Ratio Defined

Nurse-to-patient ration can b e defined as the number of resource allocated for evidence based care of the patients in healthcare facility. Nurse-to-patient ratio represents the distribution of nurses as per the ...