FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2001
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ANA Hails Federal Grant to Study Nursing Work Hours, Fatigue and Patient Outcomes
Award to University of Pennsylvania faculty nurse is part of $50 million from HHS to address medical errors and bolster patient safetyWashington, DC --The American Nurses Association (ANA) applauds the awarding of a grant by the federal government to study the relationship between nursing work hours, fatigue and patient outcomes. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) grant, awarded to Ann E. Rogers, PhD, RN, FAAN, a University of Pennsylvania faculty member and Maryland Nurses Association member, is one of 94 projects to receive funding totaling $50 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the study of ways to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety
ANA has voiced grave concerns regarding nurses' working conditions and the increased use of forced overtime. Given such concerns, ANA alerted Rogers to the AHRQ funding opportunity and provided a letter of support for her project, one of eight endeavors totaling $3 million that focus on understanding the impact of working conditions on patient safety.
ANA and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) will support Rogers during her research, which is being done in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania's Sleep Center and School of Nursing. Rogers' project will include two phases: (1) a survey of fatigue reported by full-time staff nurses, and (2) a pilot study testing interventions to reduce fatigue and improve alertness. ANA will assist in the first phase by identifying full-time staff nurses to recruit for the survey. AACN will assist in the second phase by identifying critical-care units interested in participating in the pilot study.
"ANA commends HHS and AHRQ for their commitment to fund further research to explore the relationship between nursing work environment, fatigue and patient safety," said ANA President Mary Foley, MS, RN.
"This AHRQ-funded project offers nursing a unique opportunity to scientifically document the relationship between the impact of hours worked by the nurse and patient outcomes. As nursing continues to advocate for safe and quality patient care and a safe and satisfying work environment for nurses, this study offers the possibility of better understanding nurses' fatigue and how it affects both nurses' performance and the quality of care."
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The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million Registered Nurses through its constituent member nurses associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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