Nurse Staffing Think Tank releases recommendations

The Nurse Staffing Think Tank – a diverse group of front-line key stakeholders in which AONL participated – this week released a set of priorities and recommendations providing strategies able to be implemented in the next 12 to 18 months in an effort to address the nurse staffing crisis. The think tank was launched by Partners for Nurse Staffing, a collaboration between the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), American Nurses Association, AONL, Healthcare Financial Management Association and Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Convening during the first three months of 2022, the think tank tackled a wide range of issues. Topics included the connection between nurses’ well-being and staff retention, along with the best ways to utilize scheduling flexibility, compensation and delivery models.  “Bringing together those who deliver care and those who ensure sustainability of care delivery is critical to developing outcomes-based staffing models, improving value and fostering a healthy practice environment,” said AONL CEO Robyn Begley, DNP, RN. “Healthcare is a human business,” noted AACN President Beth Wathen, MSN, RN. "Hospitals can add all the rooms, beds and equipment they want, but none of that matters without nurses there to take care of sick patients.” (AACN news release, 5/5/22)