Hospital nurse staffing and public health emergency preparedness: implications for policy.
Hospital restructuring policies and an impending nursing workforce shortage have threatened the nation's emergency preparedness. Current emergency response plans rely on sources of nurses that are limited and overestimated. A national investment in nursing education and workforce infrastructure, as well as incentives for hospitals to efficiently maximize nurse staffing, are needed to ensure emergency preparedness in the United States. This review highlights the challenges of maintaining hospital nursing surge capacity and policy implications of a nursing shortage.
McHugh
Matthew D
MD
Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. mchughm@nursing.upenn.edu
D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D017144:Focus Groups; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D000078329:Workforce