The “Nurse Staffing Strategy,” released this week at the American Organization of Nurse Executives conference in Denver, found nurse fatigue also can negatively affect operational costs, as well as patient and employee satisfaction, according to the research announcement.
Among the findings:
- 39 percent of respondents found current staffing levels inadequate, while 38 percent found them unsatisfactory
- 57 percent said workloads were not distributed evenly in the previous year, with 54 percent saying they had an excessive workload
- 77 percent said their organization had 12-hour nursing shifts
- 96 percent reported feeling tired at the beginning of their shift, and 92 percent while driving home after work
- 63 percent said vacancies affected scheduling and overtime staffing “more often than anticipated”
- 56 percent said their hospitals disregard required rest periods, and 65 percent said their hospitals do not have policies regarding cumulative days of extended shifts
Maybe lacking a “backbone” is a requirement to be a healthcare professional… Isn’t there suppose to be a nursing shortage ?… but .. then again.. there was a Pharmacist shortage 10 yrs ago and we see how the profession used that it improved work environment towards patient safety.
Filed under: General Problems
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