Optimal nurse staffing ratios ensure nursing competence thus upholding of the nursing
professional standards. Nursing professional standards delineate the competent level of care
thus direct and maintain safe and clinically skilled nursing practice. The professional
standards describe professional responsibility and accountability, knowledge-based practice,
client-based healthcare and ethical nursing practice. Livanos (2018) points outs that there are
established mandatory optimal nurse staffing ratio to prevent patient harm. Professional
nursing organizations including American Nursing Association (ANA) collaborate to give
suitable nurse staffing models for optimal care outcomes.
The ANA stipulates that registered nurses should be offered a qualified nursing
practice environment in which they have control over nursing practice and autonomy in their
job (ANA, 2018). Apposite staffing, preparation, scheduling, resources and information
should be availed to nurses to ensure their professionalism. Based on the nursing standards,
registered nurses have a professional mandate to report hazardous conditions or poor staffing
that harmfully affects quality safe care and the right to do so without repercussions (ANA,