NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue
Student Name
Capella University
NHS-FPX 6008 Economics and Decision Making in Health Care
Prof. Name
Date
Identification of an Economic Issue Related to Healthcare
A review conducted by Griffiths et al. (2023), which synthesized findings from 23 observational studies across multiple countries including the United States, indicates that increasing nurse staffing levels in intensive care units and surgical wards is generally a cost-effective healthcare strategy. The evidence suggests that improving staffing not only enhances care delivery but may also reduce long-term healthcare expenditures. In contrast, reductions in nurse staffing are associated with higher overall system costs due to complications and inefficiencies in care delivery.
Similarly, research by Cho et al. (2019) highlights that lower nurse staffing levels contribute to an increase in missed nursing care activities. This omission of necessary care can negatively influence patient safety and recovery outcomes. These staffing challenges extend beyond hospitals, affecting surrounding communities and vulnerable populations who rely on timely and effective healthcare services. Addressing nurse understaffing is therefore essential to improving both clinical outcomes and economic efficiency in healthcare systems.
Objectives of the Identified Healthcare Economic Issue
The selection of insufficient nurse staffing as a critical healthcare economic issue is supported by evidence from a systematic review (Twigg et al., 2021). In many low- and middle-income populations, inadequate nurse-to-patient ratios and excessive workload pressures have been linked to increased hospital-acquired infections, medication errors, and incomplete patient care.
In addition to patient-related consequences, staffing shortages also affect the nursing workforce itself. Common outcomes include burnout, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover intentions. From an economic perspective, these workforce challenges contribute to increased healthcare expenditures, primarily due to prolonged hospital stays and repeated admissions (Assaye et al., 2020).
Addressing this issue is therefore necessary for both quality improvement and cost containment within healthcare systems (Bae, 2021). Observational experience in critical care settings also indicates that delayed care due to limited nursing staff may contribute to increased patient mortality. Furthermore, workforce instability is evident, with approximately a 2.5% reduction in registered nurses reported in 2021 and a noticeable loss of mid-career nurses aged 35–49 (Berlin, 2023).
Impact of Inadequate Nurse Staffing on Diverse Groups
Insufficient nursing staff affects multiple stakeholders, including patients, healthcare professionals, organizations, and communities. Lake et al. (2020) examined the relationship between nursing workload, work environment conditions, and missed care, concluding that improved staffing levels can significantly reduce care omissions and associated financial burdens.
The following table summarizes the impact of inadequate nurse staffing across key groups:
| Group Affected | Key Impacts |
|---|---|
| Patients | Increased risk of complications, missed care, longer hospital stays, reduced quality of care |
| Nurses | Burnout, emotional exhaustion, reduced job satisfaction, increased turnover intention |
| Healthcare Organizations | Higher recruitment costs, increased overtime expenses, reduced operational efficiency |
| Communities | Limited access to timely care, worsened health outcomes in low-income populations, financial strain due to prolonged illness |
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue
At the individual level, nurses experience increased workload demands, leading to physical and emotional strain. High patient-to-nurse ratios reduce the ability to provide safe and effective care, which contributes to moral distress and job dissatisfaction. Over time, this results in burnout and decreased workforce retention (Study Smarter, 2024; Levins, 2023).
From an organizational perspective, staffing shortages increase reliance on overtime and temporary staffing, which raises operational costs and disrupts workflow efficiency (Griffiths et al., 2023). Many nurses leave their positions due to burnout and dissatisfaction, further intensifying staffing shortages and creating a cycle of instability.
At the community level, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, reduced staffing leads to longer hospital stays and delayed treatment. This not only worsens health outcomes but also increases financial burden on families already facing economic hardship (Assaye et al., 2020).
Gap Contributing to Inadequate Nurse Staffing
Evidence suggests that undergraduate nursing education plays a critical role in addressing workforce shortages and improving retention rates (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022). However, current educational preparation may not fully equip students to manage real-world challenges such as high workload intensity and emotional stress in clinical environments.
Strengthening nursing education by integrating resilience training, workload management strategies, and clinical preparedness may improve retention outcomes. Additionally, improving clinical work environments may encourage more students to pursue and remain in nursing careers (Collard et al., 2020).
Several external factors also contribute to this gap, including economic instability and global health crises, which place additional pressure on nursing education systems (Dewart et al., 2020). Limited staffing also restricts opportunities for skill development and professional growth, reducing long-term career satisfaction and progression opportunities for nurses (Study Smarter, 2024; Levins, 2023).
Conclusion
Inadequate nurse staffing has been identified as a significant healthcare economic issue due to its strong association with reduced quality of care, increased patient safety risks, and higher healthcare costs, particularly in intensive care and surgical settings. The evidence consistently shows that staffing shortages contribute to burnout, workforce attrition, and reduced care quality.
Despite strong empirical evidence, this issue remains insufficiently addressed, particularly within undergraduate nursing education and workforce planning strategies. Closing this gap requires improved education, better workforce policies, and stronger staffing models to ensure both patient safety and healthcare system sustainability.
Addressing nurse staffing shortages is essential not only for improving clinical outcomes but also for maintaining a stable healthcare workforce and controlling rising healthcare expenditures.
References
Assaye, A. M., Wiechula, R., Schultz, T. J., & Feo, R. (2020). The impact of nurse staffing on patient and nurse workforce outcomes in acute care settings in low- and middle-income countries. JBI Evidence Synthesis, Publish Ahead of Print(4). https://doi.org/10.11124/jbisrir-d-19-00426
Bae, S. (2021). Intensive care nurse staffing and nurse outcomes: A systematic review. Nursing in Critical Care, 26(6), 457–466. https://doi.org/10.1111/nicc.12588
Berlin, G. (2023, May 5). How hospitals are confronting the nursing shortage | McKinsey. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/nursing-in-2023
Cho, S., Lee, J., You, S. J., Song, K. J., & Hong, K. J. (2019). Nurse staffing, nurses prioritization, missed care, quality of nursing care, and nurse outcomes. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12803
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue
Collard, S. S., Scammell, J., & Tee, S. (2020). Closing the gap on nurse retention: A scoping review of implications for undergraduate education. Nurse Education Today, 84, 104253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.104253
Dewart, G., Corcoran, L., Thirsk, L., & Petrovic, K. (2020). Nursing education in a pandemic: Academic challenges in response to COVID-19. Nurse Education Today, 92, 104471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104471
Griffiths, P., Saville, C., Ball, J., Dall’Ora, C., Meredith, P., Turner, L., & Jones, J. (2023). Costs and cost-effectiveness of improved nurse staffing levels and skill mix in acute hospitals: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 147, 104601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104601
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue
Lake, E. T., Riman, K. A., & Sloane, D. M. (2020). Improved work environments and staffing lead to less missed nursing care: A panel study. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12970
Levins, H. (2023, January 9). How inadequate hospital staffing continues to burn out nurses and threaten patients. https://ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/research-updates/how-inadequate-hospital-staffing-continues-to-burn-out-nurses-and-threaten-patients/
Study Smarter. (2024). Staffing in nursing: Issues, models & effects. https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/nursing/nursing-management/staffing-in-nursing/
Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2022). A systematic review study on the factors affecting shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434
NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue
Twigg, D. E., Whitehead, L., Doleman, G., & El‐Zaemey, S. (2021). The impact of nurse staffing methodologies on nurse and patient outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(12). https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14909