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Outpatient Provider Office Nursing
and Emloyee Pilot Study 2003
WHY WAS THIS SURVEY DONE?
One factor in assuring access to quality health care for all Vermonters is an ongoing and current knowledge of the state’s health workforce resources. To this end, the Office of Nursing Workforce Research, Planning and Development created the Health Workforce Assessment Team (HWAT)1. This team was charged to develop a new system to assess Vermont’s health care workforce, including new ways to measure the state’s need for various health care positions. The following is a report of the 2003 pilot survey of outpatient provider offices. Adjustments will be made to the survey instrument based on this pilot study.
WHO WAS SURVEYED?
In February 2003, the Vermont Health Workforce Survey was sent to the office manager in 252 outpatient provider offices. The response rate was 56% (n=141).
WHAT WAS LEARNED?
| Statewide Vacancy Rate2 | % |
|
6% |
|
6% |
|
3% |
|
3% |
|
2% |
| Statewide Turnover Rate3 | % |
| Medical Assistant | 18% |
| Scheduler | 14% |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 10% |
| Registered Nurse | 8% |
| Nurse Practitioner/ Physician Assistant | 7% |
Recruitment Incentives:
|
||||||||||
| IMPACT OF SHORTAGES | Never |
Several times a year |
Monthly |
Weekly |
Daily |
Missing or n/a |
| Curtailed plans for acquiring new technology |
85% |
9% |
2% |
1% |
2% |
1% |
| Reduced service hours | 81% |
10% |
4% |
1% |
2% |
2% |
| Increased wait times to surgery |
72% |
7% |
2% |
1% |
19% |
|
| Canclled surgeries |
75% |
5% |
|
1% |
19% |
|
| Mandatory staff overtime |
60% |
17% |
7% |
8% |
4% |
4% |
| Decreased patient satisfaction |
58% |
22% |
8% |
6% |
3% |
3% |
| Increased patient complaints |
57% |
27% |
6% |
6% |
2% |
2% |
| Decreased staff satisfaction |
40% |
34% |
8% |
10% |
6% |
2% |
| Curtailed plans for facility expansion |
Yes 9% |
No 86% |
5% |
|||
| Discontinued clinical programs |
Yes 6% |
No 90% |
4% |
Percent Fulltime by Office Position
|
||||
Conclusions:
Vacancy and turnover rates are the lowest in outpatient provider offices when compared to the hospital, home health, and long term care settings. A greater number of RNs work fulltime in the office setting compared to other settings. Nurses with a variety of skills are needed to provide outpatient services. Some impact of health care worker shortages has been experienced in the areas of staff and patient satisfaction and patient complaints.
