N 515 Write an essay on what the different studies have shown on the effect of healthcare staff shortage on patient satisfaction and health outcomes
Impact of Staff Shortage on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes
Various studies demonstrate that healthcare shortage has serious impact on patient satisfaction and health outcomes among different patient and health populations accessing care. These effects include increased medical errors, poor quality care, and poor patient care experiences, and quality outcomes. patient satisfaction is an essential aspect in the healthcare industry as it moves toward patient-centered care (MacPhee, et al., 2017). As healthcare consumers, patient can bolster or damage the overall reputation of a healthcare organization based on their opinions and experiences. With increased healthcare staff-to-patient ratio, nurses and other health professionals enhance patient experiences by addressing their concerns through customizing their care plans to meet their needs. With fewer staff on duty, active healthcare workers like nurses are left to cover shifts and work longer hours which leads to less time with patients and possible burnout. Studies by Haddad et al. (2020) and Burgener (2020) show that shorthanded nurses working under pressure are susceptible to making medical errors and even leaving the profession. The implication is that healthcare staff shortage leads to high turnover rates which reduces the workforce to offer quality care and improve overall patient satisfaction and outcomes.
Patient satisfaction ensures that individuals accessing care have better feedback and goo reputation about the
organization and feel safe. The need for patient safety is a critical aspect of quality outcomes and patients want to get better services that meet their needs. In their study, Ghafoor et al. (2021) note that patient outcomes emanate from deliberate efforts by healthcare staff and organizations to offer patient-centered care through c
ultural competency and better training. Nurse practitioners must ensure that patient get adequate care by having more time for them and addressing the unique healthcare needs.
References
Burgener, A. M. (2020). Enhancing communication to improve patient safety and to increase
patient satisfaction. The health care manager, 39(3), 128-132. doi: 10.1097/HCM.0000000000000298.
Ghafoor, Y., Yaqoob, A., Bilal, A. & Ghafoor, M. (2021). Impact of Nurse Shortage on Patient
Care. Saudi Journal of Nursing and Health Care, 4(4):114-119. DOI: 10.36348/sjnhc. 2021.v04i04.003
Haddad, L. M., Annamaraju, P. & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2020). Nursing Shortage. StatPearls
[Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/
MacPhee, M., Dahinten, V. S., & Havaei, F. (2017). The impact of heavy perceived nurse
workloads on patient and nurse outcomes. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 7. doi:10.3390/admsci7010007