A new study that evaluates hospital nurse staffing by each shift and unit shows that inadequate staffing is tied to higher patient mortality rates — a conclusion that reinforces the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) principles that call for nurse staffing to be flexible and continually adjusted based on patients’ needs and other factors.
As you may be aware, nursing leader and ANA member Mary Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, was recently appointed to be a commissioner on MedPAC, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. MedPAC is charged with advising Congress and CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) on Medicare and Medicaid policies, including annual payment updates for the Medicare prospective payment systems – such as the Physician Fee Schedule, which covers the reimbursement of APRNs (advanced practice registered nurses).
On Tuesday, March 23 ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR witnessed history as President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. Nurses around the country should be proud of their hard work. This historic legislation benefits both the nursing profession and the patients we serve.
