Why Nurse Staffing Matters: A Moral Imperative

Safe nurse staffing is undeniably linked to patient safety and satisfaction, workforce satisfaction and safety, and cost savings. A nationwide mandate must be driven toward the use of electronic staffing and scheduling systems that take into consideration the patient's real-time specific needs This system must be matched to the most appropriate nurse with the ability to provide care safely for all the patients in his or her total assignments. These patient care assignments should be designed in partnership with managers and staff RNs. Only then will we reverse the trend of staffing-related patient deaths and injury in U.S. hospitals.