The Impact of Nurse Staffing, Annotated Bibliography Example

CHIN How, L. (2013). The Impact of Nurse Staffing on Quality of Patient Care in Acute Care. Settings: An integrative review paper. Singapore Nursing Journal, 40(4), 10-23.

This article indicated that inadequate staffing could significantly reduce the quality of patient care in the acute care setting. This is a parallel problem in the mental health setting as well. Therefore, it is reasonable that taking measures to enhance staffing would resolve this problem. In order to do so, it is possible to reorganize institutional resources, create employee incentive programs to reduce turnover, and create enhanced training programs that will allow employees an enhanced ability to handle the challenges that they are faced with when working with patient care.

Flynn, L., Liang, Y., Dickson, G., L., Xie, M., & Suh, D. (2012). Nurses’ Practice Environments, Error Interception Practices, and Inpatient Medication Errors. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 44(2), 180-186. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2012.01443.x

The purpose of this study is to assess the local causes of medication errors. To do so, a non-experimental design was implemented by collecting 82 medical units with a total of 686 staff nurses. The number of medication errors reported by each individual during the eight-month study period was collected as data in order to gain a greater understanding of both the causes and frequencies of medication errors. Data collected included the number of medication errors per 1,000 patient days and RN hours per patient day. Interception practices were also analyzed. It was found that a supportive environments for the nurses boosts their ability to intercept medical errors. Therefore, a solution to this problem would be to provide nurses with more comprehensive educational and cultural support so that they are more able to recognize and report these issues before they become problematic.

Hanrahan, NP, (2009), Analysis of the psychiatric-mental health nurse workforce in the United States.” Journal Of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services 47, no. 5: 34-42. CINAHL Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 29, 2015).

This study proposes the idea that nurse staffing has the ability to contribute to a greater number of medication errors. This is in part due to the fact that limited staff reduces the amount of medical access that patients have. Since more nurses are required to do a greater amount of work, they are able to spend less time with each individual, which compromises their care. Therefore, in order to reduce the rate of medication errors, it is essential to launch initiatives that would increase staffing in these areas. This solution ranges from providing hospitals with resources so that they are able to afford larger staffs to implementing programs that would help reduce employee turnover, keeping talented nurses in the healthcare system.

Kirwan, M., Matthews, A., & Scott, P., A. (2013). The Impact of the Work Environment of Nurses on Patient Safety Outcomes: A Multi-Level Modelling Approach. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 50(2), 253-263.     doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.08.020 

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the ward environment and specific patient safety outcomes. In this cross-sectional quantitative study, nurses were provided a survey that included the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI). It was found that there was a strong relationship between assumed positive ward environment and patient safety outcomes. Furthermore, nurses with degrees were shown to be more likely to implement safety protocols. This study demonstrated the need to improve the nursing experience at the ward level. This could be done by providing nurses with educational programs, which will help all nurses gain a greater understanding of safety needs. In addition, it is expected that building community within the ward will allow for greater collaboration, which will improve patient outcomes as well.

McAllister M, Happell B, Flynn T. (2014). Learning Essentials: What Graduates of Mental Health Nursing Programs Need to Know from an Industry Perspective. J Clin Nurs., 23(24):3449-59 

The purpose of this study is to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the type of information that needs to be learned among graduates of mental health nursing programs. Since there is currently an underrepresentation of mental health studies in nursing programs, there is a need to determine how new nurses can gain compensation of this knowledge. This problem could be resolved by implementing professional development programs within the healthcare institution that help address these knowledge discrepancies.

McDonough, K. S. (2013). Development of the McDonough Optimum Staffing Method: Evidence-Driven Recommendations Based on Patient Demand. Virginia Nurses Today, 21(2), 8-11.

This article discusses the problem of healthcare variability, indicating that nurse staffing resources are used for activities other than meeting the rising patient demand. Both legislation and finance impact optimal staffing and could therefore be used to create an understanding of how patient needs could be met. This article calls for the McDonough Optimum Staffing Method to resolve this problem. This would be a reasonable resolution to the staffing crisis in other states and nursing fields as well. Therefore, it would be beneficial to use both legislation and enhanced staffing requirements to increase staffing in the mental health field.

Neville, C., & Goetz, S. (2014). Quality and Substance of Educational Strategies for Mental Health in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula. International Journal Of Mental Health Nursing, 23(2), 128-134. doi:10.1111/inm.12025

This article poses the concept that nursing education programs should become actively involved in recruiting students to the mental health field because there is a large shortage of nurses in the field. In addition, they pose the idea that more comprehensive mental health courses should be incorporated into these programs. To resolve this issue, it would be beneficial for mental health nurses to work closely with educators to develop a mental health program that is attractive and will help meet the needs of practitioners in the field.                                                         

O’Brien-Pallas, L., Murphy, G., Shamian, J., LI, X., & Hayes, L. (2010). Impact and Determinants of Nurse Turnover: a pan-Canadian study. Journal Of Nursing Management, 18(8), 1073-1086. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2010.01167.x 

The authors of the article discuss nurse turnover as a primary problem with regards to the staffing issue. To determine a greater understanding of this problem, researchers collected records that cited the reasons for employees leaving their position. Problems cited include role ambiguity and role conflict. This led to greater frustration and mental health problems, which led to greater anxiety and turnover. Ultimately, this problem could be resolved by promoting the idea that each nurse should have defined responsibilities within their institution. Furthermore, health care institutions can provide additional support to employees by providing them with support groups and an overall more positive environment.

Phillips, B. (2005). A Survey of Mental Health Nurses’ Opinion of Barriers and Supports for Research. Nursing Praxis In New Zealand, 21(1), 24-32.

High workloads and low staffing has been cited as the greatest problem related to the ability to provide patients with a high quality of care. An additional problem, however, is that there is a lack of research available regarding employee needs in the health care setting. A way that this problem could be resolved is by allowing both nursing students and professionals to become more involved in research as a part of their practice. Ultimately, it is expected that this will confer advantage across the field.

Redknap R, Twigg D, Rock D, Towell A. (2015). Nursing Practice Environment: A Strategy for Mental Health Nurse Retention? Int J Ment Health Nurs., 24(3):262-71.

This article poses the concept that even though there is a high rate of employee turnover in the mental health field, this turnover could be reduced by improving the work environment. One potential solution to this problem is providing employees with increased incentives and benefits for continued effective performance.

Roche, M., & Duffield, C. (2007). Issues and Challenges in the Mental Health Workforce Development. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal For The Australian Nursing Profession, 25(1-2), 94-103. doi:10.5172/conu.2007.25.1-2.94

This article explains that there is an increase in demand for mental health workers in the nursing field despite the evident decrease in worker availability. This is detrimental because not only are workers required, they must be highly skilled as well. Two ways to resolve this problem is by enacting leadership that will motivate employees to face the challenges that are a part of the job and by providing them with financial incentives for their continued dedication to their position.

Sorrell, J. (2010). Retaining the Experts: Aging Nurses in Mental Health. Journal Of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 48(1), 17-20. doi:10.3928/02793695-20091204-06 

The authors of the article explain that one factor contributing to the nursing shortage is the status of aging nurses. While it is expected that this trend is negatively impacting the availability of nurses, not enough research has been done on this issue. It is therefore necessary to examine the impact of aging nurses leaving the field and whether retaining them would positively contribute to the training of new nurses.

Stevens, J., Browne, G., & Graham, I. (2013). Career in Mental Health still an Unlikely Career Choice for Nursing Graduates: A Replicated Longitudinal Study. International Journal Of Mental Health Nursing, 22(3), 213-220 doi:10.1111/j.1447-0349.2012.00860.x 

Fewer nursing graduates are choosing to enter the field of mental health. While many nurses leave the field due to stressors that become apparent, the field is not attractive to nursing school graduates because this field is not emphasized during school. It is therefore necessary to promote government investment in supporting individuals who would be willing to enter this field in order to resolve these dire staffing needs.

Thomson, L. A., & Hamilton, R. (2012). Attitudes of Mental Health Staff to Protected Therapeutic Time in Adult Psychiatric Wards. Journal Of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing,19(10), 911-915. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01871.x

A majority of nurses believe that therapeutic time is beneficial in improving their ability to care for patients, but mental health nurses believe that the time they spend with other patients detracts their ability to care for all patients correctly. This indicates a need for more nurses so that they do not have to detract from the care of some patients to treat others. It is necessary to further examine the advantages and disadvantages of this protected time to determine whether it would be a reasonable resolution to the staffing and quality issues.                   

Walker ER, Berry FW, Citron T, Fitzgerald J, Rapaport MH, Stephens B, Druss BG. (2015). Psychiatric Workforce Needs and Recommendations for the Community Mental Health System: a State Needs Assessment. Psychiatr Serv.,66(2):115-7. 

There is a shortage of mental health professionals in a variety of fields. This has become problematic in Georgia because the government is demanding a greater use of these facilities for patients. Since this was a government mandate, it would be beneficial for money to be provided to these organizations to support these changing needs. This money could be used to support university programs and provide scholarships to individuals that are interested in entering a mental health profession.

Wynn SD. (2013). Addressing the Nursing Workforce Shortage: Veterans as Mental Health Nurses. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv., 51(12): 3-4.

A major staffing problem in the mental health field is that many veteran nurses are leaving the field. This is in part due to the stress that this job has created and part due to the fact that these employees believe that they are not being compensated adequately for their time. Therefore, it is important for hospitals to begin offering incentive packages to these employees who remain on staff, as their expertise could confer great benefit to new workers in the field. It is important to retain talented workers, as this will reduce the lack of qualified individuals to work, while it will support the training of new field entrants.