The Nurse to Patient Ratio is Important Essay -- Nursing Essays

An English Nurse who laid the foundation for professional nursing, Florence Nightingale stated, â€Å"It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.† Acute care facilities try to maintain low costs and employ quality nurses, making the nurse-to-patient ratio become more of an issue with patient care. Nearly every person’s health care experience involves the contribution of a registered nurse, and the effects of not having an appropriate nurse to patient minimum ratio affects not only the patient and nurse physically, medically, but also the hospital financially. Determining nurse-to-patient ratios is a difficult task with no single or definite solution and many variables exist to develop guidelines to cover every possible situation in an acute care facility. There are two boards of the state of Ohio that help with patient safety and keeping a safe workplace for the healthcare professional such a nurse. The first board is the Ohio board of Nursing, and the following is their description of what they are responsible for: The Board exists solely to enforce the law and rules regulating practice. The Board has authority to establish requirements individuals must meet to obtain a license or certificate to practice nursing or provide dialysis care in Ohio. The Board approves pre-licensure nursing education programs and dialysis training programs, oversees the licensure examination of nurses, and takes disciplinary action when a licensee or certificate holder violates the law. These activities help to assure that only qualified individuals provide care to the public. The Board does not exist to advance the interests of the nursing profession or dialysis t... ...s, C., & Hess, R. (2009). Registered Nurses' Perceptions of Nurse Staffing Ratios and New Hospital Payment Regulations. Nursing Economic$, 27(6), 372-376. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. Costello, M. (2002). JCAHO workforce report says staff levels affect quality, safety. AHA News, 38(31), 1. Retrieved from Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database. Garretson, S. (2004). Nurse to patient ratios in American health care. Nursing Standard, 19(14-16), 33-37. Griffiths, P. (2009). Staffing levels and patient outcomes. Nursing Management - UK, 16(6), 22-23. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.