Assignment task:
The literature review is one of the most important components, and often the most time consuming part, of a good research proposal. Without the solid foundation of a good literature review, it is difficult to make a strong research proposal.
This week, you will work to develop a rough draft of your literature review. You will continue to develop the literature review next week based on feedback provided by your instructor. Then in week, you will submit a well-polished literature review as part of your final research proposal.
Research Topic: Effects of the disparity in the nurse-to-patient ratio and how it affects safety in the workplace and the health of clients in the hospital setting.
Problem statement: the nursing profession is very demanding and the increasing shortage of nurses in the field has drastically impacted the provision and quality of care, as nurses cannot physically respond to every patient's necessity when there are so many clients for only one nurse. (Donaldson, 2008) By addressing this issue, we can work towards improving conditions for both working nurses and patients in need by receiving help from hospital aids and other members of the healthcare support staff to properly address patients' immediate needs and prevent exhaustion on the caretakers.
Research question: In the hospital setting, how does the staffing of nurses compared to the number of patients admitted affect the safety and effectiveness of treatment when there is significant shortage of personnel?
Significance of the research topic in nursing:
This research topic is extremely important to shed light on this common issue among nurses since there are many hospitals experiencing it. Which not only leads to extreme exhaustion but also puts in danger the safety and wellbeing of patients, because even though they are receiving optimal comfort and are properly looked after, is it not entirely within the highest standards of care and patients' life could be put at risk due to drained nursing professionals.
Reference:
Donaldson, C. (2008) Nurse Staffing and Patient Care Quality and Safety.