According to ANA guidelines, what is the financial impact of increasing RN staffing ratios?

Increasing RN staffing ratios has a significant positive financial impact, as indicated by the American Nurses Association guidelines. Specifically, for every additional registered nurse employed, hospitals can realize a substantial economic benefit, approximated at $60,000 in savings. This figure reflects not only the reduction in errors and complications that lead to costlier care but also decreases in hospital readmissions, extended lengths of stay, and other adverse events that can have financial ramifications.

The investment in additional nursing staff can lead to a more favorable patient care environment, which supports quality outcomes and operational efficiency. While the other options, such as improved patient satisfaction scores and higher rates of employee retention, are important outcomes of enhanced staffing ratios, the direct correlation of staffing to financial savings clearly underscores the economic rationale driving the importance of adequate RN staffing levels in healthcare settings.