I need help creating a thesis and an outline on Practicum Management Assignment. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Effects of Man d Nurse-Patient Ratios Man d nurse-patient ratios in the Unites s have prompted a lot of deliberations and debates among the members of the healthcare community. Since California passed the Safe Staffing Act of 1999, many discussions for and against this issue have been brought to the healthcare forum. Proponents of the mandate have enumerated various benefits of this legislative imposition that have benefited patient care and have improved the lives of nurses in the United States. These proponents have argued that as regards patient care, fewer patients assigned to each nurse ensure better care and attention. Nurses are able to focus their attention on fewer patients. They are able to concentrate on their patients’ needs, safety, and individual care. In a study submitted to the Alabama Nurse Journal, it was established that the mandated nurse patient ratio has managed to improve patient safety and has also improved the quality of care given to patients. There has also been a decrease in mortality rates, lesser medical errors, and decreased rates in pneumonia, thrombosis, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, and pressure ulcers. Hospital stay was also shorter for patients.
Many hospitals in America argue that the mandated nurse-patient ratio cuts into a large part of the hospital budget. They argue that increasing staffing costs will eventually reduce patient access to healthcare. According to them, this mandate does not take into account the individual needs of the patient or the skills and characteristics of the nurse or the hospital. They also argue that hospitals are very much committed to providing quality patient care while still utilizing safe staffing levels, however, they feel that legally imposing nurse-patient ratios does not ‘allow for fluctuations in the supply of nurses and does not account for new technology’ introduced into healthcare (Lewis, 2005). Hospitals declare that mandated nurse-patient ratios are inflexible impositions on healthcare. Hospitals are forced to finance the obligatory increase in nursing staff and in the end, they may not be able to afford this cost. Hospital closures may follow.
Nurses’ associations have a mixed reaction to this mandate. Some associations support the mandate, declaring that their lives have greatly improved. They are less stressed due to the decrease in their caseloads. Some unions have declared that this mandate has helped improve patient safety and has increased the job satisfaction of nurses. Nurses are now able to take day-offs and are not required to render mandatory overtime during busy work days. Before this mandate, nurses have been known to render mandatory overtime and work long busy shifts. This has raised safety concerns for the patients who are saddled with bleary-eyed exhausted nurses. However, some nurses and nursing associations opine that this mandate may be seen by hospitals as the future standard, that what is applicable today may be seen as applicable tomorrow even when circumstances change. They also argue that this mandate does not take patient acuity into consideration. Some nurses in the ICU feel that taking care of just two very sick patients can take up all their time, and they feel that during these times, more nurses may be needed. There are also other times when a nurse in the medical-surgical unit may be taking care of five patients who are not very sick. These situations imply that indeed a greater flexibility in the ratio may be needed. However, nurses and most nurses’ associations believe that a mandated nurse-patient ratio may just be the nudge that hospitals need to hire more nurses. They agree that this may be the ‘only choice in a system where hospitals currently hold nearly autocratic power in staffing decisions’ (Bartolomeo, 2001).
The important point that many nurses, hospitals, and nurses’ associations put forth is that there is a need to mandate a nurse-patient ratio for better patient care and improved job satisfaction. The question on the ideal and correct nurse-patient ratio is a crucial question that needs critical research and analysis. The need to balance cost of staffing and the economic viability of hospitals need also to be taken into consideration. All in all, the ultimate end of improving the quality of patient care is the bottom-line that all nurses and hospitals should aim for at all costs.
Reference
ANA Commends IOM Report Outlining Critical Role of Nursing Work Environment in Patient
Safety. (2004). Alabama Nurse. Montgomery, Alabama: Alabama State Nurses
Association.
Bartolomeo, Christina. (2001). Healthcare Professionals see the Benefits and Pitfalls. American
Federation of Teachers. Washington: AFL-CIO
Legislatively mandated patient-nurse ratios. (2006). HIMSS Position Statement. Retrieved 18
June, 2008 from www.himss.org/advocacy/ContentRedirector.asp?ContentId=65838
Lewis, Katherine. (2005). Nurse to patient ratios. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Health Policy
Forum.
Skidmore, Sarah. (2005). Nurse-patient Ratio Mandate Upheld. San Diego Tribune. California:
Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Snowbeck, Christopher. (2006). Debate Centers on whether Nurse-to-Patient Ratios should be
Mandated. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: PG Publishing Co.
Stuenkel, Lori. (2004). Nurse Mandate Stretches Saint Louise’s Resources. The Gilroy Dispatch.
Gilroy, California: MainStreet Media Group.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Nutritional Quality Benefits And
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Nutritional Quality, Benefits, And Harms Of Organic Foods. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Organic foods are not pesticides free. According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic food is defined as ‘“Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides. fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards’” (Consumer brochure, 1). Consumers might question how organic farmers manage insect pests, weeds, or crop diseases. Organic farmers are permitted using a few synthetic fungicides, some of the pesticides and organic insecticides by USDA National Organic Program Standards, including pyrethrum, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), rotenone, copper, and sulfur. Farmers regularly spray pesticides on the crops. Alex Avery, director of research at the Hudson Institute’s center for global food issues, states in his article that “Pyrethrum is has been classified by U.S. Environmental protection Agency as a likely human carcinogen, and rotenone causes symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in rats” (Avery, 1). However, these pesticides are still allowed to use for organic farmers.
A study was conducted to test the residue of synthetic pesticides. 1000 pounds of peaches, green bell peppers, apples, and tomatoes were bought from stores in San Francisco, New Haven, Seattle, Boston, Connecticut, and Atlanta.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On On Marketing And Public Relation
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on On Marketing and Public Relation strategies for local movie theater. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. It is imperative to have an understanding of the business environment within which the Carmike Cinema in Lawton operates in. Acknowledging competition is one way through which a workable approach would be sought. In the area of Lawton, there are other movie theatres. The other theatres include the Dickinson Central Mall 12 theatre or even Vaska theatres. The existence of competition, therefore, should inform the business tact employed at the theatre.
Any business model should be aligned with the demographics within which it operates in. For the movie theatre, it is imperative to understand the imminent trends in the Lawton area. For instance, the local population, as was statistically recorded in the census done in 2011, was 98,177 (City of Lawton). Consequently, the target population for the movie theatre should work with the figure in mind. Besides, the figure should put into consideration the possible turn out from the whole population. This should be a figure worked with the competition from the Dickison Central Mall theatre in mind. In reference to cutting a niche in business, most organizations are focusing on how to effectively and efficiently win the perception and acceptance of their services by the consumers (Cutlip, Allen & Glen 49). Business organizations have developed and implemented new marketing strategies such as low pricing and extensive distribution of products as well as new public relations strategies in order to receive positive perception from the public.
Every movie theatre has to have an online portal through which it reaches out to its clients. In as much as the Carmike theatre has an official website, the usability that the interface offers is unlike other recognized portals. In this case, a comparison is done against the online portal for Regal Entertainment Group. Improving the outlook of the online portal is one way of improving its perception among the public.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Online Vs College Campus Prepare
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Online vs. College Campus. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Online vs. College Campus To begin with, online es the world over provide an important facet of learning which was not deemed as a possibility in the past. It allows for distance education to come about as a reality which was not even considered in the yesteryears. However, a college campus is a place where much can be learned on the campus and is inherently very different from an online methodology.
It is a fact that online classes could be conducted through web-based university courses which have far-reaching benefits and the possibilities are endless in their own right. Online classes can offer a feel of the real universities though the real essence seems missing which only a college campus can fulfill. Online courses and classes put the students in an awkward situation. Even though they have a feel of the education norms yet they are left out of the school decorum as well as the college campus life (Reisetter & LaPointe, 2008). The students are more dependent on computers and the use of technology rather than interacting and mingling with their mates within the college campus.
A college campus is healthier in the sense that it involves one on one interaction amongst the students which is a missing element within the online classes that the students undertake. For the online students, the lack of meeting one another makes them feel all alone, which forbids them from enjoying the courses that they have undertaken. The convenience of home does not fully render them the study atmosphere which exists at a college campus. However, the online classes have become such an enormous part of the education domains that the world is quickly coming to terms with the very same.
There are definitive merits and demerits of online education versus what is taught at a college campus, and there is no denying the fact that the latter is better than an online methodology which is being employed more and more in the time and age of today. The merits bank on the ease of becoming a student, no matter where this individual is sitting and which course he wants to have for his educational requirements (Mupinga, 2007). The demerits include the fact that this is merely education and not understanding of what is being taught in the most basic sense. Much needs to be understood on the same footings when one delves deep into the understanding of the two kinds of education that are being instilled within the students of present times.
In the end, it would be fair to comment that both online education and a college campus ensure that education remains quintessential more than anything else. The students must learn as this is the most significant premise that one can take. But then again, the manner in which this education comes about is also pertinent as it ensures long term success and accomplishment for the students. All said and done, these forms of education should be encouraged across the board as they bring along value and meaning for one and all, and more significantly the students themselves.
Works Cited
Mupinga, Davison M. Students Positive and Negative Experiences in Hybrid and Online Classes. College Student Journal, 41, 2007
Reisetter, M. & LaPointe, L. Belonging Online: Students Perceptions of the Value and Efficacy of an Online Learning Community. International Journal on ELearning.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Pacific Asian Art The Interactio
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Pacific Asian Art: The Interactions of Dynastic Cultures. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. This incident not merely made it possible for a large number of Western travelers to witness the majestic country of China than ever before. It was the source also of a dramatic contributory consequence, because of the proliferation of railways in China itself, specifically in the Northern provinces, which were the hub of the Empire in ancient ages. The disturbance of the earth due to engineering works resulted in a wealth of concrete or physical evidence of a culture previously known entirely from literary reserves. It now turned out to be probable to appreciate as never been centuries ago, not merely the literature, philosophy, and history, but as well as the art of ancient China (ibid).
On the other hand, Japanese art has been showcased in Europe in large quantities which were mostly porcelains carried by Dutch traders from Nagasaki, and oftentimes made to order for export. The art of making porcelain in Japan was learned later and never has emerged as others accomplished to be hailed nationally unique and distinctive. Some Japanese porcelain is remarkable of fine quality but they exhibit how triumphantly the Japanese can borrow from the Chinese when they are unable or unskilled to make an art of their own (Ledoux 1927). Meanwhile, for the pottery, it is a different story. Here the continental impact came prematurely, from Korea rather than from the Far East, and the pottery of Japan developed racial attributes until a greater part of it became meticulously distinctive and uphold of charisma and lure all of its own. Particular kinds remained obvious replicas of Chinese varieties, others did not. yet in neither instance does Japanese pottery somewhat equal in appearance and excellence its continental forebears. It does extremely well in a congenial manner of permitting the .personality of the creator to materialize in his craft. In uniquely Japanese pottery one senses the individuality of the maker, a connection of communion is forged and lifeless clay appears vibrant with life. .
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare T
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare & the New Process. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Solutions automate and streamline financial, business intelligence, and supply chain processes to result in business success http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/en/us/why-dynamics.aspx).
Microsoft Dynamics is a provider of integrated, flexible business management solutions that an organization can rely on to make responsible business decisions with greater surety and guarantee of success. Microsoft Dynamics is trustworthy software like Microsoft Office, which means less need to learn on the skills required for people delegated the tasks, so they need not manually operate the processes and work on the most crucial job functions leaving the technology function to Microsoft Dynamics. And because Microsoft is a name to reckon, it smoothly functions with the systems that a company already has implemented. By automating and streamlining monetary, customer relationship, and logistic processes through its work-flows, Microsoft Dynamics bridges together people, processes, and technologies, increasing the productivity and efficiency of a business and plays an active role in business success.
To explain the process of adoption, an example of a segment of the healthcare industry is being taken. Microsoft Dynamics healthcare management solution at Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare (PBH) has efficiently managed the change process at this Managed Care Organization. Change Management at Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare (PBH), which is a Managed Care Organization, has increased efficiencies to the tune of saving $75,000. PBH is situated in Concord, North Carolina. It provides Medicaid to more than 20,000 patients in a year. As budget allocation for the Medicaid facility is under the state preview, it was felt that to work within the constraints of a limited budget, the facility needed to be efficiently functioned. The financial management software at PBH was obsolete. it lacked integration and automation. Accounting jobs required total IT back .up. .
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Piezometers For Measuring The Wa
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Piezometers for Measuring the Water Table to Monitor Landslides. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Appropriate design of the drainage system is possible only if the water flow pattern within the rock mass is understood. and for this purpose, the measurement of hydraulic conductivity and water pressure is carried out.
Piezometers are used for measuring water pressure within a slope in order to control the stability of the slope by drainage. Piezometers are devices that are sealed within the ground, generally in boreholes. They respond only to groundwater pressure in the immediate vicinity and not to groundwater pressure at other locations. Piezometers can also be used to measure the in situ hydraulic conductivity of rock masses, using variable head tests (Wyllie et al, 2004: 120).
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of piezometers in preventing landslides, identify the different types of piezometers, examine the advantages and disadvantages of each type of piezometers, compare the type of soil that they can be used in, and their applications.
Piezometers measure groundwater pressures, which is useful for “effective stress stability analyses of landslides and to observe the variation of pore pressure vertically in the landslide” (Cornforth, 2005: 82). Certain factors have to be taken into consideration when planning a piezometer installation to measure water pressures on a rock slope. It is important that the drill hole should intersect the discontinuities in which the groundwater is likely to be flowing. For example, the hole should intersect the persistent beds in the sedimentary rock which has low persistence joints. Zones of fractured or sheared rock should be located for positioning the completion zone of the piezometer since the groundwater flow would be more concentrated in these areas. The length of the completion zone in rock is usually longer than in soil, because of the requirement to intersect discontinuities. Fault zones are geological features. if they contain crushed rock they act as conduits for groundwater, or if they contain clay gouge, they may act as barriers to groundwater flow (Wyllie et al, 2004: 120).
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Planned Parenthood Prepare This
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Planned Parenthood. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. The Planned Parenthood website is easily accessible and their page design contains comprehensive amount of information on the organization, on various health-related services including abortion, birth control, sex and sexuality, and STDs, among others, and on getting involved. The design is well thought of, appropriately organized and attractive enough for various viewers who are in the delicate situation of encountering some dilemma on the abovementioned health and ethical issues. The colors used (blue, orange, gray on white background) is highly professional and apt.
The writers and advocates of Planned Parenthood aimed “to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual” (Planned Parenthood: Mission, 2010, par. 2). In this regard, this medium is effective in terms of stimulating critical information on controversial health issues (abortion, sexual orientation) without necessarily compromising confidentiality concerns. The page provides additional windows for locating a health center by providing one’s zip code or state. Teenagers, who could benefit most from learning through this site, are given opportunities to ask experts or to watch relevant videos on diverse topics. This is the most effective medium for adolescents who are afraid or embarrassed to ask adults on the subject of sex education. It also provided tools for both parents and educators faced with issues on human sexuality and the dilemma of searching for ways and means to share critical information to the children.
The page design is holistic in its approach for information dissemination and provision for assistance. However, the site is rarely advertised and since the title is Planned Parenthood, adolescents might not tap or access the website without being given enough promotion. In this regard, the writers and advocates of the program can give flyers and brochures to schools and even in shopping malls where teenagers usually gather. It is necessary for both promoters and viewers of the site to be vigilant and concerned in strictly complying with ethical standards to monitor adherence to an ethical culture required by every citizen the world over.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Portland Cem1 Cement Silica Fume
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Portland CEM1 Cement/Silica Fume. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. They are available with different silicon dioxide concentrations depending on the purity of the silicon metal being produced. It would be convenient if silica fumes are integrated to the cement mixtures. Studies have shown that silica fumes strengthen concrete structures. This experiment aimed to determine establish the effect of replacing percentages of cement with silica fume.
Objectives
The main objective of this experiment is to determine the effect of the utilization of silica fume in the production of Portland cement.
This experiment specifically aims to:
1.produce three concrete mixes. Mix 1, Mix 2A and Mix 2B containing 0, 5, and 10% silica fume respectively.
2.and test the fabricated mixes in terms of slump test, maximum load, flexural strength, stress test, and compressive strength under European standards.
Review of Related Literature
Silica fumes are by-product of the manufacture of silicon metals or ferrosilicon alloys (Dunster 2009). It is called various names such as silica dust and microsilica (Kuennen 1996). This is because it consists of very fine spherical glassy particles. Its silicon dioxide content ranges from 61 to 98 percent depending on the silicon purity of the metal from which production the silica fumes are collected (ACI Committee 2000). Silica fume was first characterized in the 1950s. It was discovered to be harmful to the environment in the 1970s (Dunster 2009). Because of this, it has been a concern to use it instead of releasing it as an air-pollution. Silica fumes are lighter that cement, having density of about 2200 kg/m3 while that of the latter is 3100 kg/m3. Its surface area ranges from 13,000 to 30,000 m2/ kg while that of cement is 300 to 400 m2/ kg (ACI Committee 2000). Because of these properties, silica fume particles pack in between larger cement particle which enhances mechanical performance and chemical resistance of concrete. For example, silica fume decreases chloride penetration of concrete (Kuennen 1996). This property makes it suitable construction material for bridges, decks and other specialized structures since it reduces harmful effects of chloride in salt water, other chemicals and abrasions. In general, hardened silica fume concrete has lower permeability, improved durability, greater resistance to abrasion and impact, higher flexural strength, compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. Silica fume can also be added to concretes containing micro-fibers for explosive applications such as those involving exposure to fire (Dunster 2009). Studies show that the higher the silicon dioxide content of silica fumes, the more reactive it is with concrete (ACI Committee 2000). Materials and Equipment Raw Materials The raw materials used for this experiment were CEM 1 Portland cement, coarse aggregate, silica fume and water. Slump Test (British Standard Institution 2009) Most important equipment for the slump test was the mould. It was made of metal so it would not be readily attacked by cement paste. Its wall was at least 1.5mm thick. It was also smooth and free from projections and dents as required by the standard procedure. Its shape was a hollow frustum of a cone with base diameter of 200 mm, top diameter of 100 mm and height of 300 mm. The base and top were both right angles to the axis such that both were perfectly horizontal and parallel to each other. It had a base that it can be securely clamped to and two handles near the top. A compacting rod was also used in the experiment. It was straight and made of steel with a diameter of 16 mm and length of 600 mm. It was a straight rod with rounded ends. A square-mouthed shovel and a container were used for the remixing of sample before filling of mould. As required, the container was a flat tray made of a non-absorbent rigid material.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Powers Vested On The Central Gov
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Powers Vested on the Central Government of the US. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Based on the nature of the constitution and the provisions on the powers of the federal government, the American system has created a limited government scenario as the mandate of the federal government are limited by the fundamental constitutional provisions (Ginsberg, Lowi and Weir 47).
Through different approaches, the federal government controls the supply of money into the economy as a way of strengthening the currency and inflation. Through this function, the government ensures that the economy is protected from the impacts of credit and financial crisis as witnessed in the previous years. The federal government is also constitutionally required to regulate the trade within different states in the country and with international markets.
This ensures that unscrupulous trading activities are controlled and illegal entry of products restricted. Treaties that border on security and protection of the territorial boundaries of the country like the north Atlantic treaties are a role of the national government. As a result, no other branch of government or state can declare war against a foreign country as this is the constitutional role of the federal government (Ginsberg, Lowi and Weir 46).
The role of the national government on issues that affect the life of the citizens has remained a controversial issue and this contributed to the limitation of the powers of the federal government. Before the American civil war, debates on the scope of the powers of the national government raged but most believed that the limitation of the federal government power would be in the interest of the people. The debates influenced the limitation of the powers of the federal government and different reasons have been cited for the limited nature of government in the country (Ginsberg, Lowi and Weir 73).
One of the main contributing factors was the legacy of revolution which created the fear of the establishment of a centralized power system .whose strong influence would affect the function of other state and regional governments.
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I Need Help Creating A Thesis And An Outline On Practicum Management Assignment
/in Uncategorized /by developerI need help creating a thesis and an outline on Practicum Management Assignment. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Effects of Man d Nurse-Patient Ratios Man d nurse-patient ratios in the Unites s have prompted a lot of deliberations and debates among the members of the healthcare community. Since California passed the Safe Staffing Act of 1999, many discussions for and against this issue have been brought to the healthcare forum. Proponents of the mandate have enumerated various benefits of this legislative imposition that have benefited patient care and have improved the lives of nurses in the United States. These proponents have argued that as regards patient care, fewer patients assigned to each nurse ensure better care and attention. Nurses are able to focus their attention on fewer patients. They are able to concentrate on their patients’ needs, safety, and individual care. In a study submitted to the Alabama Nurse Journal, it was established that the mandated nurse patient ratio has managed to improve patient safety and has also improved the quality of care given to patients. There has also been a decrease in mortality rates, lesser medical errors, and decreased rates in pneumonia, thrombosis, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, and pressure ulcers. Hospital stay was also shorter for patients.
Many hospitals in America argue that the mandated nurse-patient ratio cuts into a large part of the hospital budget. They argue that increasing staffing costs will eventually reduce patient access to healthcare. According to them, this mandate does not take into account the individual needs of the patient or the skills and characteristics of the nurse or the hospital. They also argue that hospitals are very much committed to providing quality patient care while still utilizing safe staffing levels, however, they feel that legally imposing nurse-patient ratios does not ‘allow for fluctuations in the supply of nurses and does not account for new technology’ introduced into healthcare (Lewis, 2005). Hospitals declare that mandated nurse-patient ratios are inflexible impositions on healthcare. Hospitals are forced to finance the obligatory increase in nursing staff and in the end, they may not be able to afford this cost. Hospital closures may follow.
Nurses’ associations have a mixed reaction to this mandate. Some associations support the mandate, declaring that their lives have greatly improved. They are less stressed due to the decrease in their caseloads. Some unions have declared that this mandate has helped improve patient safety and has increased the job satisfaction of nurses. Nurses are now able to take day-offs and are not required to render mandatory overtime during busy work days. Before this mandate, nurses have been known to render mandatory overtime and work long busy shifts. This has raised safety concerns for the patients who are saddled with bleary-eyed exhausted nurses. However, some nurses and nursing associations opine that this mandate may be seen by hospitals as the future standard, that what is applicable today may be seen as applicable tomorrow even when circumstances change. They also argue that this mandate does not take patient acuity into consideration. Some nurses in the ICU feel that taking care of just two very sick patients can take up all their time, and they feel that during these times, more nurses may be needed. There are also other times when a nurse in the medical-surgical unit may be taking care of five patients who are not very sick. These situations imply that indeed a greater flexibility in the ratio may be needed. However, nurses and most nurses’ associations believe that a mandated nurse-patient ratio may just be the nudge that hospitals need to hire more nurses. They agree that this may be the ‘only choice in a system where hospitals currently hold nearly autocratic power in staffing decisions’ (Bartolomeo, 2001).
The important point that many nurses, hospitals, and nurses’ associations put forth is that there is a need to mandate a nurse-patient ratio for better patient care and improved job satisfaction. The question on the ideal and correct nurse-patient ratio is a crucial question that needs critical research and analysis. The need to balance cost of staffing and the economic viability of hospitals need also to be taken into consideration. All in all, the ultimate end of improving the quality of patient care is the bottom-line that all nurses and hospitals should aim for at all costs.
Reference
ANA Commends IOM Report Outlining Critical Role of Nursing Work Environment in Patient
Safety. (2004). Alabama Nurse. Montgomery, Alabama: Alabama State Nurses
Association.
Bartolomeo, Christina. (2001). Healthcare Professionals see the Benefits and Pitfalls. American
Federation of Teachers. Washington: AFL-CIO
Legislatively mandated patient-nurse ratios. (2006). HIMSS Position Statement. Retrieved 18
June, 2008 from www.himss.org/advocacy/ContentRedirector.asp?ContentId=65838
Lewis, Katherine. (2005). Nurse to patient ratios. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Health Policy
Forum.
Skidmore, Sarah. (2005). Nurse-patient Ratio Mandate Upheld. San Diego Tribune. California:
Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Snowbeck, Christopher. (2006). Debate Centers on whether Nurse-to-Patient Ratios should be
Mandated. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: PG Publishing Co.
Stuenkel, Lori. (2004). Nurse Mandate Stretches Saint Louise’s Resources. The Gilroy Dispatch.
Gilroy, California: MainStreet Media Group.
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