From the Caring Value to the Bottom Line: The Impact of Health Care Reform on Nursing

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How do staff nurses view the complex changes that have resulted from health care reform? What has been the impact of changes in care delivery on job satisfaction and career commitment? W A qualitative research study was completed with the purpose of seeing these changes through the eyes of a group of staff nurses. Personal experiences of nurses who have witnessed recent transitions can lead to a greater understanding of the dynamics of change and the effects on the nursing profession. It should be noted that four months after the completion of this research, the obstetrics/gynecology unit in the large, urban teaching hospital where this study was conducted was closed due to hospital restructuring. Some of the nurses who participated in this study lost their jobs as a result of the transition.

How the System Has Changed Health care reform and the need to reduce the costs of care have created changes in the health care delivery system. Widespread hiring of unlicensed …