The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and The Joint Commission released findings about risks to patient safety and healthcare quality in a supplement to the November issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. The report says that worker fatigue, poor patient flow, and low nurse staffing levels all contribute to decreased quality of care.
The articles included in the supplement concern research conducted by the AHRQ. Research focused on nurses, because they interact with patients on nearly all levels of care. The articles discuss policy and operational challenges that occur within the hospital environment, specifically relating to nurses.
To obtain a copy of the report, call 800/358-9295 or send an e-mail to AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.
