Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/971007
Q. Aren't ratios too costly? A. No, in fact ratios have proven to be cost-effective. Safe RN ratios have produced cost savings for hospitals in reduced spending on temporary RNs and overtime costs, lower RN turnover, improved patient outcomes, and shorter patient lengths of stay. n Adding 133,000 RNs to the U.S. hospital workforce would produce medical savings estimated at $6.1 billion in reduced patient care costs — Medical Care, January 2009. n Preventing medical errors reduces loss of life and could reduce healthcare costs by as much as 30 percent. Insurers paid an additional $28,218 (52 percent more) and an additional $19,480 (48 percent more) for surgery patients who experienced acute respiratory failure or post-operative infection — Health Services Research, July 2008. n Raising the proportion of RNs by increasing RN staffing to match the top 25 percent best staffed hospitals would produce net short-term cost savings of $242 million — Health Affairs, January/ February 2006. Q . With the healthcare crisis, aren't most hospitals financially in trouble? A. No. Hospitals can afford to improve staffing. Data shows that most hospitals can afford to employ sufficient numbers of RNs to provide safe ratios. The health industry trade publication Modern Healthcare reported that hospital industry profits set another record — $52.9 billion in 2010. That's just the profits, not counting high executive salaries, stock options, and other benefits. Even with the improved staffing required by the ratios law, California hospitals netted over $4.4 billion in profit in 2010, according to data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. RN-to-Patient Ratios: » Save lives » Help solve the nursing shortage » Are Cost effective