The effect of workforce issues on patient safety

The workforce of any health care organization is vital to its continued survival, but a highly competent and committed workforce is vital to its success. The evidence is clear: employees influence not only the financial performance of the organization, but also the safety and quality of the clinical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nursing economic 2004-09, Vol.22 (5), p.266-279
Main Authors: Gelinas, Lillee S, Loh, David Yik-Hin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Benchmarking - organization & administration
Care and treatment
Clinical Competence - standards
Corporate culture
Culture
Employee turnover
Employers
Evaluation
Health care
Health care delivery
Health maintenance organizations
Hospitals
Humans
Job design
Leadership
Medical personnel
Models, Nursing
Mortality
Needs Assessment
Nursing
Nursing Staff - education
Nursing Staff - organization & administration
Organizational Culture
Patient safety
Patient satisfaction
Patients
Performance management
Personnel Selection
Personnel Staffing and Scheduling - organization & administration
Personnel Turnover
Quality Assurance, Health Care - organization & administration
Quality of Health Care - organization & administration
Reimbursement
Retention
Safety Management - organization & administration
Workforce
Workforce planning
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Summary:The workforce of any health care organization is vital to its continued survival, but a highly competent and committed workforce is vital to its success. The evidence is clear: employees influence not only the financial performance of the organization, but also the safety and quality of the clinical care provided to patients. Health care organizations must understand these important linkages and have in place corporate strategies to manage workforce issues with a systems focus that ensures excellent leadership and operational processes, a healthy culture, and optimum patient outcomes. New levels of knowledge, resources, and implementation are needed to move health care in the United States to the next level of quality performance. Staff satisfaction and retention should be at the heart of the clinical improvement strategies. Such an approach will allow organizations to cope and thrive in an environment of workforce shortages and increasing consumer demand for quality. To quote Robert Waller, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, "The goal is the best care for every patient, every day. Our patients deserve nothing less.
ISSN:0746-1739