What Nurse Staffing Means Under Healthcare Reform

Newswise — Matthew D. McHugh, PhD, CRNP, JD, MPH, an expert in nurse staffing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, is available to talk with media for stories during National Nurses Week, which runs from May 6 to May 12.

Dr. McHugh is a public health policy researcher with expertise in the Affordable Care Act, the impact of public health law and policy on vulnerable populations, and the effects of nurse staffing ratios on patient care, hospital reimbursement, and Medicare. His paper “Nurses’ Widespread Job Dissatisfaction, Burnout, and Frustration with Health Benefits Signal Problems for Patient Care” was selected as one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Top Five Most Influential Research Articles of 2011.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the premier research institutions in nursing, producing new knowledge in geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, quality-of-life choices, and other areas. Researchers here consistently receive more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other private nursing school, and many Master’s programs are ranked first in the country. This year, faculty, students, alumni, and staff celebrate 125 years of nursing at Penn.