Nursing Staff in Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Hospitals and nursing homes are responding to changes in the health care system by modifying staffing levels and the mix of nursing personnel. But do these changes endanger the quality of patient care? Do nursing staff suffer increased rates of injury, illness, or stress because of changing workplace demands?These questions are addressed in Nursing Staff in Hospitals and Nursing Homes, a thorough and authoritative look at today's health care system that also takes a long-term view of staffing needs for nursing as the nation moves into the next century. The committee draws fundamental conclusions about the evolving role of nurses in hospitals and nursing homes and presents recommendations about staffing decisions, nursing training, measurement of quality, reimbursement, and other areas. The volume also discusses work-related injuries, violence toward and abuse of nursing staffs, and stress among nursing personnel—and examines whether these problems are related to staffing levels. Included is a readable overview of the underlying trends in health care that have given rise to urgent questions about nurse staffing: population changes, budget pressures, and the introduction of new technologies. Nursing Staff in Hospitals and Nursing Homes provides a straightforward examination of complex and sensitive issues surround the role and value of nursing on our health care system.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Implications of Population Change3 Evolving Health Care Scene4 Nursing Personnel in a Time of Change5 Staffing and Quality of Care in Hospitals6 Staffing and Quality of Care in Nursing Homes7 Staffing and Work-Related Injuries and Stress8 EpilogueAppendixesAppendix A: Presentations Made to the CommitteeAppendix B: Liaison PanelAppendix C: Separate Statement and ResponsesAppendix D: AcronymsReferencesBiographical Sketches of Committee MembersPart II: Resources for the Study1 Study Activities2 Statistical Resources3 Commissioned PapersQuality of Care, Organizational Variables, and Nurse StaffingProfessional Nursing Education - Today and TomorrowNursing Staff and Quality of Care in Nursing HomesQuality of Care and Nursing Staff in Nursing HomesNursing Facility Quality, Staffing, and Economic IssuesNursing Injury, Stress, and Nursing CareIndex