Jessica G. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN

Dr. Jessica G. Smith’s core research focus is to determine the effects of a well-prepared nursing workforce and better work environments on nurse and patient outcomes in rural hospitals. Her goal is to shed more light on these relationships to guide rural-relevant policy recommendations needed to increase nursing resources for improved patient and nurse outcomes. She has published empirical findings from work during her postdoctoral fellowship at CHOPR using Linda Aiken’s Multi-State Nurse Survey Data from 2005-8 about rural hospitals and their nursing resources. One paper is published at Public Health Nursing and highlights how, as hospitals became more rural, there were fewer nurses with a BSN, fewer RNs, and higher patient-to-RN ratios. The second paper is in press at SAGE Open Nursing and highlights the association between nursing skill mix and work environments and adverse event frequency.

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Study Shows Missed Nursing Care is a Key Factor in Adverse Outcomes for Very Low Birthweight Infants

Sometimes hospital staff nurses cannot provide required care due to time constraints. This reality can contribute to potentially dire outcomes for very low birthweight (VLBW) infants, who weigh less than 3.3 lbs. at birth. These newborns depend on the nurse for survival. Missed nursing care is likely clinically relevant to whether VLBW infants develop an infection, develop a brain hemorrhage, or even die. Given post-pandemic staffing shortages and the increased burden placed on nurses, routine measurement of missed care and managerial efforts to prevent it could be vital to improving the health and life course of VLBW infants.

Read MoreStudy Shows Missed Nursing Care is a Key Factor in Adverse Outcomes for Very Low Birthweight Infants