Nurse staffing in long-term care facilities: the case against a high ratio of RNs.

Administrators of long-term care facilities often wish to increase their ratio of professional nursing staff. In some geriatric care settings, an all-RN staff is viewed as one of nursing's most significant goals. In addition to being unrealistic, the author feels that this aspiration can have significant negative impacts on health care costs, nurse recruitment and nurse retention. She feels that gerontological nursing should focus on improving nursing home care within the current staffing and fiscal constraints.