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The poor work environment prevalent within the nursing profession must be amended, attributed mainly to insufficient competent nursing staff. Nurses must engage in advocacy efforts to secure the enactment of federal regulations mandating that hospitals that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid initiatives adhere to prescribed ratios of registered nurses to patients. (Anders, 2021). The lack of compliance with the mandates may lead to a substantial reduction in the nursing workforce. Efforts by nurse associations and legislative initiatives are essential for attaining optimal nurse-to-patient ratios. Nurse professionals can lobby for the Hospital Patient Safety and Quality of Care Act. This act provides a structure for legislative strategies and recommendations to ensure that healthcare facilities uphold the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care (Anders, 2021).
The proposed law requires healthcare facilities to provide a plan to the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure enough nursing personnel for each unit. The department is also responsible for adjusting Medicare reimbursements to cover the extra hospital costs. Supplementary finances can be allocated to increase the number of nurses and provide subsidies for nurses’ mobility to extend healthcare services to underserved communities. The nursing community is advocating for Congress to champion durable legislation that will safeguard significant workplace reforms. The focus of nurses is on enhancing work environments, encompassing the establishment of an appropriate nurse-to-patient ratio. If these concerns remain unaddressed, the insufficiency of nurses may persist as a potential hazard to public welfare. Implementing mandatory safe staffing levels in hospitals is practical and financially advantageous. Therefore, improving healthcare requires nurses, patient advocates, and wellness insurance companies to work together toward progress. Subsequently, with a regulated nurse-patient ratio, health providers can focus on providing quality patient care without worrying about overburdening (Anders, 2021).
Strategies
Clinicians have a significant opportunity to shape the workforce and healthcare legislation. How money is allocated, and healthcare is delivered is decided by nurses when it comes to municipal and congressional policies regarding healthcare. Nurses must have a place at the table where decisions are made to guarantee that legislative decisions are made with an understanding of the healthcare sector and are patient-oriented. Participating in sessions allows nurses to interact with representatives to help nurses voice their ideas. Nursing professionals benefit much from advocacy and engagement in health policy(Morris, 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, brought attention to numerous healthcare inequities. Particularly in policy-making, nurses have a unique role in redesigning the healthcare system. Policymakers and nurses use various techniques to assess proposed health policy modifications to promote patient safety. The nurses also advise advocacy groups, legislative experts, and research organizations on public health and nursing policy. Nurses can participate in various ways for their voices to be heard, including producing legislative briefings, interacting with lawmakers, and assisting with the interpretation of research so that policymakers become more familiar with the health data (Morris, 2023).
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