ANA report highlights optimal nurse staffing

Editor's Note

Appropriate nurse staffing is associated with improved quality of care and patient outcomes. This is the conclusion of a new white paper by the American Nurses Association and Washington, DC-based consulting firm Avalere, in collaboration with nurses and policy experts. The white paper is the first in a series that makes the case for nursing value.

Key findings include:

• Optimal staffing is essential for professional nursing value.
• Nurse staffing systems are often antiquated and inflexible.
• Staffing models that consider the number of nurses and/or nurse-to-patient ratios and can be adjusted for unit and shift level factors offer greater benefits.

NursingWorld is the online destination for the American Nurses Association.