NURSING AND THREATS TO PATIENT AND NURSE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF PATIENT-CARE

A major effect of today's emphasis on cost-cutting in health care has been reductions in the numbers and mix of registered nurses (RNs). RNs have increased concerns over patient and I practitioner safety and pa tient care quality. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has a major, multi-phase project addressing these concerns, called Nursing's Safet y and Quality Intitiative. This initiative encompasses: nursing-sensit ive quality indicators, educating staff nurses, researching the impact of skill mix on patient outcomes, political activities, a national da tabase of nursing quality indicators, and liaisons and coalitions. The se activities reflects ANA's committment to patient and nurse safety a nd the quality of patient care.