Gaps in Health Care Delivery System - Essay Example

Gaps in Health Care Delivery System Affiliation Gaps in health care delivery system Introduction In the wake ofincreased health care needs,health interest on the safe-staffing ratio between nurses and patients, the government has sadly, ignored the calls to employ more nurses. In United States, there has been a concerted effort by the nurses to pressurized government to implement the World Health Organization specifications (Levin 2013). Certainly, nurses role is integral to the health care delivery system, and the Evidenced-Based Practice calls for effective service delivery through reduction of work. Carlifornia state became the first to implement nurse-patient staffing ratio. Today, California program has led to an improved patients health care needs. Gap Identification There has been complaining of burn out effects experienced by nurses both locally and internationally. With increasing health care demands, the number of nurses employed has been constantly undesirable. The impact is a reduction in standards of health care advanced to the patients, and the nurse-patient contact has significantly reduced. According to 2010 study by University of Pennsylvania, 29% of the nurses interviewed in California complained of excessive work and burned out effect (Levin 2013). In addition, 34% in New Jersey and 36% in Pennsylvania highlighted lack of minimum staff requirement as a great hindrance to quality health care (Levin 2013). High number of staff employed translates to quality of care given to patients. Where there are few nurses, there are a high number of complication of diseases and sadly, deaths. A comparative analysis of the two states indicated that there were 13.9% fewer surgical deaths in California than of New Jersey. Besides, according to the 2007 Medical Care Report, it proved that an increase of one Registered Nurse (RN) per patient translated to 24% reduction in time taken by the patient in the intensive care unit. Besides, there was a 31% reduction of time take in the surgical unit (Levin 2013). Basing on the consistency of the information, it is, therefore, important to enforce nurse-patient ratio. Evidence-Based Practice is consistent on the importance of having one nurse to one patient in intensive care unit while one nurse for six patients is desirable in surgical cases. The nursing staff ratio is critical in ensuring timely and appropriate nursing care is given to the patients. Levin (2013) states that the Nurse-patient ratio has been the subject of discussion in the health care for a few decades. As primary health care givers, their role is holistic, this is an evolutionary approach in responding to the health needs far from the traditional curative approach. The concept as applied in California health care system has had a significant reduction in time of morbidity and a consistent reduction in mortality rates. Additionally, the EBP provides a framework of harnessing the nurses expertise at its best while long working hours has been blamed for an increase in medical errors. Besides, American Nurses Association (ANA) identifies massive reduction in nursing budgetary allocation in a time where there is growing nurses shortage as a recipe to poor health care. It has generated debates and majority of RNs have been driven away from the bedside posing an enormous challenge to the outcome of health in the country (Larrabee & Bolden 2001). In the light of high demand for quality health care and reducing ratios of nurse-patient, there has been a campaign dubbed National Campaign for Safe RN-to-Patient Ratios. It is a nationwide campaign that advocates patient and nurse safety. Notably, it highlights overworked nurse as a potential danger to self and patient. All nurses strive to produce the best care for their patient, however on the extreme working environment; it poses neuro-muscular and skeletal strains that are a significant health concern. The nurse-patient ratio is part of an overall strategy in promoting health care. For several decades, nurse-patient ratios in relation to health outcomes was largely discussed as variables of studies, but not primary areas of study. The National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR) since 1990s convened international conferences in order to bring out the interest of research from the students and staff (Nursing Home Quality 2005). By 1996, the IOM concluded that there was a direct relationship of the increased poor health outcome and nurse understaffing (Larrabee & Bolden 2001). However, there is still deficiency of knowledge on the impact to the long-term care outcomes. Notably, there is now a tremendous growth on the interest of studying health outcome basing on the nurse-patient ratio. Over the health reforms in the 21st century, there has hospital restructuring and emphasis has been given much on the universal access to health care. Besides, the primary health care concept has consistently featured as a key EBP health care modality. However, the role of optimal nurture. In order to reverse the trend, the NCNR recommends a deliberate government move to employ RNs so as to bridge the gap between health care demands and nurses. It is the only measure that will salvage the image of the public health facilities. Notably, the private health care systems have adopted staffing as a number one priority, this explains the difference in health care outcome between private sector and public. Following a few reports that documented shortage of nurses in majority of U.S public hospitals and an acute drop out among those undergoing training in medical colleges. The future of nursing staffing remains largely unknown and the gap in health care provision is likely to persist in future. Concurrently, there is an emerging trend in nursing staffing caused primarily by an influx of foreign nurses. The sustainability of quality health care system is not based on the health care goals, but on the actual practice in the hospitals. The heighten concerns on the staff ratios have been popularized within the mass media and health report from senate and congress task forces in many states (Larrabee & Bolden 2001). Conclusion However, there is still gap in putting theory to practice. Notably, the nursing staff recommendation of one nurse to four to six patients remains a dream. Besides, the concept of primary nurse in acute setting has been impractical due to large patient numbers who need health care, but only few nurses are available. In addition, there has been a weakness in integrating nursing training into a long-term solution to staff shortage. Currently, one nurse serves 12-20 patients according to Health Department Report 2012. In addition, there is increasing trend of high turnover that makes planning of the healthcare difficult. In a state of inconsistent staff turnover, the burden to the government is quite huge. There should be a policy framework set to create an uniform nurse-patient ratio across the U.S. In addition, the nursing curriculum should be revamped with theory-based practise that allow integration of theory to clinical skills. References Larrabee, J. H., & Bolden, L. V. (2001). Defining Patient-Perceived Quality of Nursing Care. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 16(1), 34-60. Levin, R. F. (2013). Teaching evidence-based practice in nursing (2nd ed.). New York: Springer Pub.. Nursing home quality in the 21st century: staffing adequacy and complaint investigation : joint informational hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and the Senate Subcommittee on Aging and Long-Term Care.. (2005). 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