**Disclaimer: I deem this an "interesting thread" only in a sassy jab to my friends in other less interesting threads **
Anyway, perhaps it is the masters classes sinking into my brain but I have been thinking a lot about staffing.
A little background: I have a lot of interest in working with new graduate nurses and helping reduce burn-out when I have completed my MSN. I have noticed that one of the biggest complaints from nurses are staffing ratios. I have discussed this with bosses and managers while I was nursing and was often met with resistance in reference to productivity. It seems there is a delicate balance between increasing staff and keeping productivity.
Recently I asked a co-worker, of whom was complaining about how terrible her night was, what would have made her night easier. She responded with an overwhelming "well of course more staffing would help". I know from experience on this floor that they run 6:1 with one tech. It was often agreed that the patient load was ok if we could have a second tech (like the old days before our hospital ran out of money). It was argued that with two techs there was a decrease in productivity and they wound up sitting around a lot. I understand the knee jerk reaction to call for more staff, but is that really the answer?
Now each hospital is different and I do understand, especially from some of the threads on here, that places ARE painfully understaffed.
How do you feel, related to your personal situation, patient ratios affect productivity? Where is the tipping point on staffing where it negatively affects productivity? How do you encourage productivity when you have adequate staffing?
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