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S pecial F eatures : H ealth P olicy : Hospital Nurse Staffing and Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Implications for Policy
Author(s) -
McHugh Matthew D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2010.00877.x
Subject(s) - workforce , nursing , preparedness , surge capacity , staffing , restructuring , incentive , business , public health , medicine , medical emergency , political science , economic growth , finance , disease , economics , covid-19 , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law , microeconomics
Hospital restructuring policies and an impending nursing workforce shortage have threatened the nation's emergency preparedness. Current emergency response plans rely on sources of nurses that are limited and overestimated. A national investment in nursing education and workforce infrastructure, as well as incentives for hospitals to efficiently maximize nurse staffing, are needed to ensure emergency preparedness in the United States. This review highlights the challenges of maintaining hospital nursing surge capacity and policy implications of a nursing shortage.