Jennifer Mensik Kennedy
President
American Nurses Association
As president of the American Nurses Association, Jennifer Mensik Kennedy has her finger on the pulse of nursing, understanding current challenges that magnified the unprecedented staffing crisis, and the solutions that will ensure patients continue to receive safe, quality care.
Hospital and health system leaders play a critical role in advancing staffing solutions that improve patient care, enhance health system performance, and prioritize nurses’ health and well-being.
JMK: Nearly every nurse in the United States would say yes. An American Nurses Foundation survey found that 90% of respondents say the staffing shortage at their organization is a serious problem. We consider that a crisis, brought on by a mix of cost-cutting decisions, a patient population requiring more complex care, and an aging nursing workforce, all exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses overwhelmingly agree that burnout, workplace violence and low wages affect their desire to remain in their roles and the profession. Collaborative solutions that ensure appropriate staffing such as minimum nurse-to-patient ratios can begin to temper these challenges.
JMK: I have heard cries for help from nurses everywhere, especially about mental health concerns. The latest national workplace survey from the Foundation shows that nurses feel stressed, frustrated and exhausted. Positive feelings such as fulfillment and hopefulness have declined dramatically over the past year. Most tragically, the nursing community has lost lives to mental health struggles. Hospital and health system leaders play a critical role in supporting nurses’ health and well-being by providing resources for those in need and creating a safe work environment, which includes appropriate staffing that can reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction.
JMK: As the largest group of healthcare professionals, at almost 40% of operating costs, nurses have been an easy target for reduced hours and other cutbacks. However, when a nurse treats more patients than is safe, those cuts come at the expense of patient care. Patient health and safety is at the heart of staffing solutions, including minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, which have been shown to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Data show adding one patient to a nurse’s workload increases the chances of a patient dying within 30 days of hospitalization by 7%. Those odds double when a nurse’s workload increases by two patients. Patients and their families may lose confidence in their care when a nurse must choose between two patients who require acute care, or if rushed to explain an important procedure.
JMK: Appropriate nurse staffing is achievable when health system leaders and nurses work together, bringing their unique perspectives and expertise to the table. Enforceable and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios are part of a solution that supports nurses and bolsters the workforce. Ratios that are setting-specific and account for patient acuity provide a staffing standard that supports safe patient care. When paired alongside policies grounded in transparency, such as staffing committees and mandated disclosure of staffing levels, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios can support today’s workforce and improve nurse recruitment and retention.
Our healthcare system will struggle to sustain a safe environment for nurses and patients if we do not act. ANA and partner organizations have formed the Nurse Staffing Task Force, which identifies areas where health systems can take realistic, meaningful action to address staffing challenges and provides resources to help leaders rethink staffing. Solving the staffing crisis is a priority that impacts the work environment and is crucial to supporting nurses, patients and our healthcare system.
JMK: Eliminating risk and protecting patient care is the highest priority for hospitals and health systems. Minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios support safe care delivery, better patient outcomes and long-term cost containment. Hospitals and health systems realize cost savings when nurses can provide appropriate levels of care that helps patients get healthier more quickly. Appropriate staffing can build and sustain a safe work environment for nurses, contributing to higher nurse satisfaction and retention and removing staffing-related challenges from the equation.
