Front-line nurses weigh in on benefits, drawbacks of staffing committees

Nursing leaders and other hospital leadership should actualize staff nurse autonomy within nursing staffing committees and better value staff nurses perspectives, according to a study. Published in the February issue of the American Journal of Nursing, the researchers in 2022 interviewed 14 nurses from five states with nurse staffing committee legislation in place for at least three years. Nurses found value in serving on the committees when they felt supported by leadership and felt their recommendations were valued and incorporated. To ensure nurse-staffing committees are effective, the authors say state laws governing the committees should be “enforceable and evaluable,” and committee practices should result in positive patient, nurse and organizational outcomes.