Anesthesiologist staffing ratio tied to mortality, morbidity
Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that overlapping clinical responsibilities of a supervising anesthesiologist are associated with increased surgical patient mortality and morbidity. A total of 578,815 adult surgical patients from 23 US academic and private hospitals were included in the analysis. The patients…
Hospitals implement internal staffing agencies as solution to shortages
Editor's Note Hospitals and healthcare systems across the nation continue to face the staffing challenges which emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, reports January 9 Becker’s Hospital Review. This issue is a top priority for healthcare leaders who want to maintain adequate staffing in order to provide the best patient care.…
WHITEPAPER: Reimagining Operating Room Staffing Through AI: Optimizing Efficiency and Resources
Efficient allocation of staff and resources is critical for operating rooms to deliver timely, high-quality surgical care. However, OR managers face challenges in optimizing staffing, including unpredictable volumes, staff shortages and turnover, and complex scheduling. These issues can lead to mismatches between staffing and surgical demands, and suboptimal utilization of…
Staffing at most ASCs stays stable despite recruitment challenges
Although ambulatory surgery center (ASC) staff show a slightly greater inclination to change jobs than they did in 2014, staffing remains relatively stable in a market with continued recruitment challenges and slower volume increases, according to the 25th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly one-fourth (24%) of respondents reported an…
Changes in nurses' pay structure solve staffing and scheduling problems
Many OR directors struggle with designing effective nurse compensation systems. The ideal system would achieve department goals while maintaining nurse satisfaction. Unfortunately, a compensation plan that links these 2 objectives is often elusive. In 2012, OR leadership at a small Pennsylvania hospital developed a compensation system that effectively aligns nursing…
Massachusetts approves state's first nurse staffing mandate
Editor's Note The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission has voted unanimously to approve the state’s first nurse staffing mandate. It calls for no more than two patients to be assigned to one nurse in all ICUs, including burn units and NICUs. In some cases just one patient is assigned to one…
Nurse staffing levels tied to patient satisfaction
Editor's Note Patients’ satisfaction with hospital care is strongly associated with missed nursing care, which is related to poor nurse staffing and poor work environments, finds this study led by Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania…
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…
Overtime, new grads help stretch staffing in hospital operating rooms
Staff shortages continue to challenge OR managers and directors, according to the 18th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey for 2008. In the eighth year the staffing questions have been asked, the percentage of open positions was unchanged for RNs, with positions open slightly longer than a year ago. Once again,…
Nurse staffing agencies allegedly inflating prices
Editor's Note In a probe led by House Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), some 200 House members have asked the White House to investigate allegedly inflated costs being charged by nurse staffing agencies, according to the January 26 Becker’s Hospital CFO Report. In the investigation request, the…