Safe Staffing Many People Lament the Fact

Safe Staffing

Many people lament the fact that hospitals are often profit-based and/or they are religiously oriented in nature. As it relates to the former of those two, profit-based hospitals and other disseminators of medical services are assailed for planning or actually going through with the cutting of staff on any given shift including doctors, nurses and even support staff. While keeping staff at a non-bloated level is a wise idea, erring on the side of keeping staff too low can lead to chaos if not danger due to patients not receiving the proper amount and quality of medical care from nurses and/or doctors and remaining aware of the political currents regarding the same is imperative and non-optional given the current climate relating to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and similar regulations and requirements.

Analysis

The profits and performance of the medical sector, both public and private, has been a front-page concern of the media as well as an important issue in the minds of voters and industry advocates of all stripes. This has manifested in a number of ways but has been at a fever pitch since at least the 1960's when the "War and Poverty" as well as the creation of Medicare both occurred. In the more recent past, there has been the push by Hillary Clinton during her husband's administration and the recent political fracas both before and after the passage of the aforementioned Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise referred to as ObamaCare. The bill was passed nearly four years ago but is still unpopular with voters and sways the behaviors and actions of both Democrats and Republicans. Public and private sector hospitals as well as other medically-oriented organizations like health care insurance groups are no different with one example being Aetna CEO speaking in favor and disfavor of the legislation and how it has unrolled (Belvedere, 2014).

As it relates to the political sphere and the topic of safe staffing, hospitals get it from both ends as shareholders except a lean and mean staffing level while politicians and industry advocates/lobbyists demand a staffing level that ensures patient safety and quality care all at the same time. Further complicating the matter is that there are projected or current shortages of doctors and nurses (AACN, 2014). Meaning, the level of staffing being on the low side could easily be due to the inability or difficulty in attracting the needed personnel with or without the tactic of offering better benefits including pension, per hour pay and/or benefits. Obviously, any of that would drive up payroll costs and lower profits (or increase losses). Turnover is another concern, with the overall level of turnover for nurses is currently about 14% per a KPMG survey (AACN, 2014).

One way that nursing leaders can stave off controversy and criticism of their staffing management is to become involved with politically- and industry-oriented organizations. These organizations are often teeming with current and prior industry professionals that study the nuts and bolts of staffing practices and results on a continuous basis. While such organizations can be ran and influence by ideologues that do not know what the realities are in an actual hospital and/or some advocates are unaware or ambivalent about the different circumstances that can exist based on cost of living levels, wage levels, workforce composition and educational options, it is very telling and helpful for hospitals and other organizations with nurses to be involved in the process (Aetna, 2014).