A nurse who works in a rural hospital has become frustrated and disillusioned at the steady increases in nurse to patient ratios at the same time that patient acuity has increased
When planning to address this issue with the hospital's leadership, the nurse should cite which
of the following statements about increased nurse to patient ratios?
A) Increased nurse to patient ratios are associated with a decline in patient outcomes.
B) Reality shock is more common and severe when there are increased nurse to patient ratios.
C) An increased nurse to patient ratio increases the incidence of disruptive behavior in hospital
settings.
D) Discrimination and stress increase when there is an increase in nurse to patient ratios.
Ans: A
Increased nurse to patient ratios have been shown to result in decreased patient
outcomes. There are other deleterious effects on nurses, including reality shock and stress, but
patient outcomes should be the primary consideration.
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