What are some societal problems in nursing?

Safe staffing is a big political issue among nurses just now. Depending on state laws and the institution in question, some employers can require nurses to work overtime on short notice, or to take patient loads that they see as unsafe. I’ve also worked for some employers who subtly encouraged nurses to violate labor laws, e.g. to get to work early, take reports on patients and “get themselves organized” before punching in.

Any job with as many variables as nursing is inevitably going to be difficult at times: we all are familiar with having to work late when an emergency derails our routine; we’re all used to being called and asked to pick up more hours; we’re sometimes called on to work shorthanded. The problem arises when short staffing is the norm rather than the exception.

There have been many studies on this issue. Although results have been varied, the general consensus is that, all other things being equal, a higher nurse-to-patient ratio does result is fewer patient complications, and lower mortality rates.