JONA says Nurses Unions Decrease Pt. Mortality rate

[Jenny P]

[This just over my MNA Newscan List and I just had to post it here! JONA is the Journal of Nursing Administration, and who would have thought that ANY administration would support- or publish an artical backing better hours and wages for nurses? It just tickles my funny bone!]

:D :D

Patients with heart trouble would be wise to seek care at a hospital with a nurses union according to a recent study of the impact of nurses unions and the mortality rate for patients with acute

myocardial infarction (AMI, the medical terminology for heart attack).

The study, which was published in the March issue of JONA (Journal of Nursing Administration), studied hospitals in California and found that

hospitals with a nurse's union had a "significantly predicted lower risk-adjusted AMI mortality."

The study's authors, Jean Ann Seago, PhD, RN and Michael Ash, PhD, concluded that "this study demonstrates that there is a positive relationship between patient outcomes and RN unions."

"Thirty-five percent of hospitals in California have RN unions. The significant finding in this study is that hospitals in California with RN unions have 5.7% lower mortality rates for AMI after accounting for patient age, gender, type of MI, chronic diseases and several organizational characteristics. This result includes controls for number of beds, AMI-related discharges, cardiac services, staff hours and wages.

In discussing how unions impact the quality of patient care, the authors stated, "unions may impact the quality of care by negotiating increased

staffing levels...that improve patient outcomes. Alternatively, unions may affect the organization nursing staff or the way nursing care is delivered

in a fashion that facilitates RN-MD communication. This is the 'voice' function of unions...Yet another possible mechanism by which unions can

improve care is by raising wages, thereby decreasing turnover, which may improve patient care."

The authors conclude, "perhaps having an RN union promotes stability in staff, autonomy, collaboration with MDs and practice decisions that have been described as having a positive influence on the work environment and on the patient outcomes."

[-jt]

improve care is by raising wages, thereby decreasing turnover, which may improve patient care." >>

Jenny, we've been saying that here for a long time. Now we have proof (you think W saw it?) lol. Such is the importance of nurse research.

[Jenny P]

Jt, of course W didn't see it! Why would he EVER want to open such a magazine as this? On the other hand, maybe he would open such a magazine because it should be showing Big Business's side of things. Too bad this artical is for unions and the workers! :)

[pabamick]

As a nurse in California, that works at a hospital where we just fought a long hard battle to become unionized with CNA it was great news to see that our efforts will improve the quailty of pt. care and the rights of our nurses. Already we have seen nurses starting to stand up and say " I am not taking this assissgment it is unsafe to the patients and myself." WE now feel with the beginning of our Profession Practice Commitee we have a voice in what happens in our lives and the lives of our patients. We have a voice that the hospital has to recognize and respond too. What a change. No more being at will employees, with polices and staffing changing overnite, without notice. It's a new beginning at our hospital and the majority of nurses are glad.

[Jenny P]

CONGRATULATIONS, Pabamick! Keep on standing up and advocating for your patients! I'm hoping that someday ALL NURSES will be willing to stand up and advocate for themselves and their patients. If the working conditions improve, there will be more nurses working. It makes sense to me, and I think that professional unions improve working conditions more than anything else!!!!