Staffing shortages have a profound impact on patient care, including:
- Increased Patient-to-Nurse Ratios: Higher ratios can lead to missed care, delayed treatments, and increased medical errors. - Lower Quality of Care: Nurses are unable to provide the same level of attention to each patient, potentially compromising care quality. - Patient Outcomes: Studies have shown that adequate staffing levels are directly linked to better patient outcomes, including lower mortality rates.