According to an investigation by the Patriot-News of Central Pennsylvania, a local community hospital was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for dangerously low staffing that may have contributed to two patient deaths.  According to the report, 233 shifts were unfilled over a month long period.  Shortages are also driving nursing unions to strike in cases where their demands for adequate staffing are unanswered.

These events are stark reminders that nurses are the “tip of the spear” in healthcare delivery.  To effectively manage mortality and patient length of stay, adequate staffing and job satisfaction initiatives must be supported by the facility’s culture and business practices.  Short staffing and improper training are among the greatest contributors to burnout and turnover in the nursing staff, leading to medical errors, strikes, and poor outcomes.