State policy and research initiatives focused on improving nursing workforce: an integrative literature review

The purpose of this chapter is to examine to and synthesize nursing workforce research and policy initiatives at the state level. An integrative literature review was systematically conducted using Ganong's Stages of an Integrative Research Review (1987). Searches were limited to English-language publications in the years from 2000 to 2010 which focused on workforce issues in the United States. A total of 155 published articles were included in this review. Overall, the literature indicated that significant research is examining nursing workforce issues and that states are actively engaged in policy initiatives to address nursing workforce issues, particularly those related to a shortage of nurses and faculty. The findings also indicated a major disconnect between nursing workforce research and patient outcomes research. Recommendations include connecting research and policy links between nursing workforce research and patient outcomes research and creating clear correlations to system-level determinants of quality Additional implications for further research are provided which include the important role of nurse researchers in connecting nursing care and nurse staffing to processes and outcome measures, which demonstrate the financial impact upon health care.