In February 2010, CARNA launched the Expert Caring Makes a Difference campaign to increase public understanding about the value of RNs in direct care and in the health system.
Key findings of a post-campaign survey conducted by an independent firm include the following:
- 51% of respondents who saw ads from CARNA’s “Expert Caring Makes a Difference” campaign indicated that those ads increased their level of concern about the number of registered nurses available to provide expert care.
- 97% of respondents agree: “It is important to have enough RNs in our health care system to provide expert safe nursing care for patients.” This level of agreement represents an 8% increase over the responses to CARNA’s pre-campaign research.
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Research shows that the expert care delivered by registered nurses:
Shortens hospital stays. Having enough registered nurses to provide care can help prevent adverse events that cause patients to stay in the hospital longer than necessary.
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Prevents hospital deaths. RN care is even more necessary when a patient’s health care needs are complex, acute and unpredictable. Adding more RNs to the acute-care hospital workforce can help save thousands of lives a year.
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Reduces hospital infections. Increased RN staffing helps reduce infections and other adverse patient events. Increasing the proportion of unregulated health care workers on medical and surgical units can have a negative impact on patient safety.
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Cuts wait times. Hospital staff mixes with a higher proportion of registered nurses help shorten wait times and provide care to more patients. RNs provide more entry points into the health system and promote better health.
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Controls health-care costs. Significant savings are possible with higher ratios of registered nurse staffing. Increasing the proportion of hours of care provided by RNs achieves net cost savings by reducing length of stay, adverse outcomes and mortality rates.
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Delivers benefits to long-term care residents. More RN direct care in long-term care facilities is associated with fewer pressure ulcers, hospitalizations, and urinary tract infections and less weight loss, catheterization and deterioration in the ability to perform daily activities.
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