Hello class,

Working in a hospital setting now for many years, I have seen firsthand now the need for practical improvements that can significantly affect both clinical outcomes and our hospital’s operational efficiency. In this discussion on clinical and business solutions for hospital improvement, I believe focusing on enhancing nursing resources is key. According to Sloane et al. (2018), improving the work environment and increasing the percentage of BSN educated nurses lead to better patient safety and quality of care. In my own hospital, I think we could enhance our work environment by incorporating only RN or RN BSN nurses as in a post COVID hospital my own hospital still utilizes LVNs in most floors. Nothing against LVNs, I used to be one, however it does create a problem when they are limited within their scope as to what they can do, and the RN is left with picking up the workload. A quick example is how they cannot admit, do initial assessments or push certain medications. They’re also underpaid so in a way I see as the hospital keeps them to save money rather than hiring the appropriate RN to take their place.

Additionally, ironically, we also need to address the nurse staffing shortage. Our hospitals struggle with maintaining optimal nurse to patient ratios, affecting patient outcomes and increasing stress for nurses. By strategically optimizing these ratios, we can reduce costs related to prolonged hospital stays and complications. It is evident that with increase in BSN educated nurses, the likelihood of unfavorable care and safety reports would decrease. So, I do see the value in encouraging more of my colleagues to pursue further education, which could be supported through hospital led incentives or flexible scheduling for continuing education. Improving in these areas not only aids in financial optimization by reducing unnecessary costs from adverse events but also opens up avenues for better reimbursement linked to quality of care. Overall, I believe these initiatives or changes would enhance the patient experience, a goal I care about as a nurse.

Reference:

Sloane, D. M., Smith, H. L., McHugh, M. D., & Aiken, L. H. (2018). Effect of Changes in Hospital Nursing Resources on Improvements in Patient Safety and Quality of Care: A Panel Study. Medical care, 56(12), 1001–1008. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000001002Links to an external site.