title: Impact of the nurse shortage on hospital patient care: comparative perspectives.
abstract: National surveys of registered nurses, physicians, and hospital executives document considerable concern about the U.S. nurse shortage. Substantial proportions of respondents perceived negative impacts on care processes, hospital capacity, nursing practice, and the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improving health care systems. There were also many areas of divergent opinion within and among these groups, including the impact of the shortage on safety and early detection of patient complications. These divergences in perceptions could be important barriers to resolving the current nurse shortage and improving the quality and safety of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Peter.Buerhaus@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Peter I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Buerhaus
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Donelan
authors.forename: Beth T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DesRoches
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dittus
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States