The Burn Nursing Shortage: A Burn Center Survey

Abstract

The Membership Advisory Committee of the American Burn Association sponsored a survey of burn units in North America to review the issue of nursing staffing, to which 124 of 133 (93%) of the burn centers identified responded. Sixty-two percent had experienced a nursing shortage, and the 77 of 124 units with current vacancies had an average of 4.6 positions open. Licensed practical nurses, aides, and nonlicensed caregivers provide direct patient care in 83% of the units. Ten of 124 units had identified adverse patient outcomes because of staff shortages in their quality assurance programs. Areas identified by two surveys that require further development are nursing acuity systems applicable to burn units and burn nursing educational programs.