Health services research and the nursing workforce: access and utilization issues

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing Workforce Studies

Background:

• Access to personal health services depends on sufficient, well-distributed qualified nurses.
• Existing research on healthcare access primarily focuses on physician services or hospital care, neglecting nursing access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the Institute of Medicine Access framework to the nursing workforce.
• To evaluate current research on nursing workforce access and identify critical gaps for future health services research.

Main Methods:

• Conceptualization using the Institute of Medicine Access framework.
• Literature review and gap analysis of existing research on nursing workforce and access.

Main Results:

• Identified research gaps include the influence of regional market factors on nurse supply.
• Lack of critical analysis in staffing and outcome research specific to nurses.
• Need for improved data on nurse career patterns, education, and effectiveness.
• Insufficient evaluation of relevant workforce policies.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in understanding the nursing workforce's role in healthcare access.
• A comprehensive health services research agenda is needed to address these gaps.
• Future research should focus on market factors, staffing, data quality, and policy evaluation for nursing access.