NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change

Name

Capella University

NHS-FPX 6008 Economics and Decision Making in Health Care

Prof. Name

Date

Lobbying for Change

May 31, 2024

The Worthy Ted Budd

Secretary of Health and Human Services

304 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Respected Ted Budd,

I am writing to voice my concern about insufficient nurse staffing in our medical facilities, particularly nursing homes. Inadequate staffing in nursing homes is a significant healthcare economic issue that profoundly impacts the quality of care, healthcare costs, and the well-being of healthcare professionals and residents. This issue directly affects the elected officials’ constituents addressed in this letter, as many rely on nursing home care. Insufficient staffing leads to higher rates of adverse events such as pressure ulcers, falls, and medication errors, resulting in increased healthcare costs due to additional medical interventions and extended hospital stays. In a nursing home context, baseline calculations revealed 1471 fall incidents annually, leading to 345 injuries. Treating these injuries incurred a mean cost per year of €860,000 and over five years €4.63 million (Panneman et al., 2021). Vulnerable populations, including minority and low-income communities, face more significant challenges in accessing adequately staffed facilities, exacerbating existing health disparities (Nhongo et al., 2022).

The potential benefits of addressing the issue of inadequate staffing in nursing homes are substantial, and they promise a brighter future for our healthcare system. Improved staffing levels have been proven to correlate with better resident outcomes, reduced adverse events, and lower healthcare costs (Harrington et al., 2022). Furthermore, enhanced staffing conditions will lead to lower turnover rates, increased job satisfaction, and a more stable and satisfied workforce. This will ensure that nursing homes remain a vital resource for the community, particularly for vulnerable populations (Sharma & Xu, 2022). On the other hand, failing to address inadequate staffing will compromise care quality, leading to higher rates of adverse events and increased healthcare costs. Persistent understaffing will exacerbate burnout and turnover among healthcare professionals, further destabilizing care provision. Vulnerable populations will continue to suffer disproportionately from inadequate care, worsening existing disparities (Efobi, 2022).

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change

The need to address the issue of inadequate staffing in nursing homes is further supported by a wealth of evidence from scholarly sources. Blatter et al. (2023) found a significant correlation between higher patient-to-nurse ratios and increased rates of adverse events in nursing homes. Sturmberg et al. (2024) highlighted the economic implications of inadequate staffing, estimating higher healthcare costs due to preventable adverse events and hospital readmissions. Gandhi et al. (2021) demonstrated the relationship between staffing levels, staff burnout, and job satisfaction. In U.S nursing homes, the nursing staff faced an annual turnover rate of approximately 128 percent and 94 percent. Harrington et al. (2020) provided compelling evidence through a meta-analysis that higher nurse staffing levels are associated with better quality of care and reduced adverse events. Panneman et al. (2021) discussed the cost-benefit analysis of improved staffing levels, showing that initial investments in staffing yield long-term financial gains through decreased hospital readmissions and improved patient outcomes.

By improved staffing levels intervention costing €702,000 over five years, healthcare cost savings amounted to €2.0 million, with €1.6 million attributed to nursing home injury care, demonstrating a significant return on investment. Additionally, the intervention saved 3050 nursing hours, 760 physician care hours, and 3100 paramedical care hours annually in nursing homes. The impact of inadequate staffing on healthcare institutions and providers is significant at all levels. Locally, nursing homes in the elected official’s district will experience immediate benefits from improved staffing, including better care quality and reduced healthcare costs. Statewide, healthcare systems will see a decrease in overall healthcare expenditure and an improvement in public health metrics. Nationally, addressing staffing shortages will reduce the burden on the healthcare system, enhance the quality of long-term care, and promote health equity (Blatter et al., 2023). Ethical, cultural, and diversity principles are crucial when implementing proposed changes. Cultural sensitivity involves providing care that respects residents’ cultural beliefs, values, and preferences, such as offering language interpretation services and training staff on cultural competence and humility (Kawamala, 2021).

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change

Ethical considerations ensure that the proposed solution upholds beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice principles, prioritizing the well-being and dignity of residents while considering the ethical implications for staff and the broader community. Equity in access and cost is vital, ensuring that care is accessible and affordable to all residents, irrespective of their socioeconomic status or background, and addressing disparities in access to care and resources (Artisensi & Hansen, 2022). To address this economic issue, personal, professional, and organizational experiences have informed resource planning and risk analysis. Having a family member in long-term care highlighted the challenges of understaffing and the importance of adequate staffing for quality care. Working in an understaffed environment professionally underscored the need for comprehensive training and support programs. These experiences informed a detailed risk analysis, considering the potential costs and benefits, the need for staff recruitment and retention strategies, and the importance of leveraging technology to optimize efficiency (Clancy, 2020).

I eagerly await your response and am optimistic about your assistance in tackling this critical issue that profoundly affects the health and well-being of our nation’s populace.

Sincerely,

……

References

Artisensi, J. L. J. -, & Hansen, K. E. (2022). Quality of life and well-being for residents in long-term care communities. In Human well-being research and policy making. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04695-7

Blatter, C., Osińska, M., Simon, M., & Zúñiga, F. (2023). The relationship between nursing home staffing and resident safety outcomes: A systematic review of reviews. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 150, 104641–104641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104641

Clancy, T. R. (2020). Technology solutions for nurse leaders. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 44(4), 300–315. https://doi.org/10.1097/naq.0000000000000439

Efobi, O. C. (2022). Poor management skills: “A contributing factor to high turnover rate in nursing homes.” Fortune Journal of Health Sciences, 5(2), 232–242. https://fortuneonline.org/articles/poor-management-skills-ldquoa-contributing-factor-to-high-turnover-rate-in-nursing-homesrdquo.html

Gandhi, A., Yu, H., & Grabowski, D. C. (2021). High nursing staff turnover in nursing homes offers important quality information. Health Affairs, 40(3), 384–391. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00957

Harrington, C., Dellefield, M. E., Halifax, E., Fleming, M. L., & Bakerjian, D. (2020). Appropriate nurse staffing levels for U.S. nursing homes. Health Services Insights, 13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178632920934785

Kawamala, P. N. (2021). The role of cultural consciousness and knowledge development in managing multicultural staff in Norwegian nursing homes. Oda.oslomet.no. https://oda.oslomet.no/oda-xmlui/handle/11250/2766125

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change

Nhongo, D., Holt, A., Flenady, T., Rebar, A., & Bail, K. (2022). Nurse staffing and adverse events in residential aged care: Retrospective multi-site analysis. Collegian, 30(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2022.09.017

Panneman, M. J. M., Sterke, C. S., Eilering, M. J., Blatter, B. M., Polinder, S., & Beeck, E. F. V. (2021). Costs and benefits of multifactorial falls prevention in nursing homes in the Netherlands. Experimental Gerontology, 143, 111173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.111173

Sharma, H., & Xu, L. (2022). Association between wages and nursing staff turnover in Iowa nursing homes. Innovation in Aging, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igac004

Sturmberg, J. P., Gainsford, L., Goodwin, N., & Pond, D. (2024). Systemic failures in nursing home care—A scoping study. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13961