According to a new study from the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing published in the journal Pennsylvania Medicine, replacing registered nurses with non-RN staff is dangerous for the patient. Healthcare.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
To assess how the struggle to recruit and retain hospital nurses affects patients, researchers looked at data on patient outcomes, 30-day mortality, readmissions 30-day hospitalization, length of stay, and patient satisfaction at 2,676 general acute care hospitals in the United States in 2019.
After conducting a cross-sectional analysis of three linked data sets from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, Analysis and Evaluation of Patient Claims of Medicare Providers, and Consumer Reviews Using Hospital Comparator Healthcare Systems and Providers, researchers said they found reduced staffing ratios translated into 11,000 deaths and increased avoidable Medicare costs. Okay.
Most of the hospitals they studied had more than 70% RNs among their total nursing staff.
However, “we can predict from our models that a 50 percentage point reduction in RNs, from our observed average of 76.5% RNs, will result in increased mortality.” 38% higher in hospital, 30-day mortality rate 24% higher.” mortality, readmission rates are 6% higher, and length of stay is expected to increase by 10%,” they said in the summary.
Furthermore, a 10 percentage point reduction in RNs equates to $68.5 million in avoidable costs for Medicare, they said.
“Estimates represent only a 10 percentage point decline in skill mix. However, the team nursing model includes a much larger reduction, of 40–50 percentage points – the human consequences and the economics can be significant.”
BIGGER TREND
Nationwide, nursing groups are concerned about nurse-to-patient ratios and oppose laws requiring minimum nurse staffing ratios, arguing for risks to patient care.
According to National Nurses United, nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, protested Thursday in support of proposed staffing protections with hospital management during contract negotiations. recent contract.
“Ascension’s pattern of closing obstetrics, labor and delivery services across the country, we believes that these ‘Patients First’ protections should be guaranteed through our contracts.” statement.
NNU also said its January report found that Ascension had cut the number of labor and delivery units by a quarter over the past decade, affecting urban and other areas with disproportionately high numbers of black and white patients. Latinas have higher low incomes at times related to pregnancy and childbirth. The death rate is increasing.
ON PROFILE
“Reducing the proportion of RNs in a hospital, even if total nursing staff hours are kept the same, could result in significant patient deaths, hospital readmissions, longer hospital stays, and decreased patient care.” patient satisfaction, in addition to excess Medicare costs and foregone costs.” savings for hospitals,” the researchers said.
Andrea Fox is a senior editor at Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
