Nurse staffing bill cites infection risk
Nurse staffing bill cites infection risk
$40 million in grants sought
A bill citing the correlation between higher nurse staffing levels and reductions in adverse patient outcomes has been introduced in Congress. If approved, the Nurse Retention and Quality of Care Act of 2001 would provide health care facilities and other eligible institutions with special project grants to establish models and best practices for promoting the retention and job satisfaction of professional nurses.
The proposed law cites "the correlation between higher nurse staffing levels and reduction in adverse patient outcomes, including risk of infection, shock, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and increased length of stay."
There also is a general consensus that staffing problems — particularly if they occur in conjunction with an increase in patient acuity — may undermine aseptic technique, catheter care, and hand-washing compliance on the part of harried health care workers. Under the bill, the Secretary of Health and Human Services would award grants to carry out demonstrations of models and best practices in nursing care. Organizations eligible to receive the grants include health care facilities or any partnership or coalition containing a health care facility and a collegiate, associate degree, or diploma school of nursing.
The projects would include those that promote nurse involvement in clinical decision making and allow educational and career advancements. The bill calls for $40 million in grant projects to be awarded over a five-year period. Introduced by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), the bill cites the following facts about the growing nursing shortage:
• The current nurse work force is aging, with the average age of a practicing registered nurse at 43.3 years. That represents an increase of 5.9 years since 1983.
• The nursing work force is aging at twice the rate of other occupations in the United States, and the enrollment in nursing programs has decreased in the past five years.
• Roughly half of nurses say they have recently considered leaving the nursing profession for reasons other than retirement.
• A majority of those considering leaving nursing express a low level of job satisfaction, and their lack of participation in decision making is a major factor contributing to dissatisfaction.
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.