Nursing group issues 7 standards on safe staffing

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has released new guidance titled "AACN Standards for Appropriate Staffing in Critical Care," which outlines key principles for incorporating appropriate staffing practices into critical care settings:

Involvement of Direct Care Nurses: Direct care nurses should actively participate in all aspects of staffing, including planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Development of Unit-Specific Staffing Guidelines: Hospitals should establish, evaluate, and refine unit-specific staffing guidelines based on their impact on patient and nurse outcomes.

Patient Assignments Based on Nursing Workload: Patient assignments should be made based on an accurate assessment of nursing workload per patient, ensuring alignment of nurse competency with patient needs.

Exclusion of Clinical Leaders in Staffing Assignments: Clinical leaders like charge nurses and nurse managers should not be included in regular staffing assignments, except in crisis situations.

Support for Nurses New to the Unit: Staffing plans and patient assignments should support the unique needs of nurses who are new to the unit.

Priority on Work Environment Health: Staffing plans should prioritize the health of the work environment, which is critical for nurse recruitment, retention, and patient safety.

Recognition of Patient Needs: Staffing plans should recognize that critically ill or injured patients generally require a ratio of one nurse to two patients, aiming for an effective match between patient needs and nurse competencies.

These standards emphasize the importance of involving frontline nurses in staffing decisions, tailoring staffing guidelines to specific unit needs, and ensuring patient assignments align with nurse capabilities. The overarching goal is to achieve appropriate staffing that supports quality patient care, nurse well-being, and overall unit effectiveness.