Hospitals should pay close attention to everything happening in the facility, including the number of patients admitted. Overcrowding is a problem that can lead to substandard care and can affect patients’ symptoms and physicians’ effectiveness. Every room in a hospital should have enough space to move around and breathe.
The following are three factors that can contribute to overcrowding in hospitals:
Nursing staff shortage
The ratio of nurses to patients should be realistic. It can be stressful when a nurse needs to attend to many patients at a go. Patients and their loved ones waiting for a nurse for extended periods can increase the population in a hospital.
This may not be an issue in a hospital with adequate nurses, as patients get the help they need and can continue resting or go home with their loved ones.
Delayed laboratory tests
A significant percentage of patients you see in hospitals are waiting for lab results. Examples of factors that cause such delays are heavy workload, insufficient equipment, power interruption and pre-analytical errors.
For instance, if a sample was collected improperly, a test may be readministered, which can take time, and so on. If lab tests can be done and results forwarded to the respective physician on time, hospitals can avoid overcrowding.
Poor coordination of workers
All departments in a hospital should be in sync. A doctor should receive a patient’s details soon to avoid the inconveniences. When information is not passed effectively, or a physician does not know what’s happening outside their office, delays may occur, resulting in overcrowding in the hallways.
Overcrowding is an issue that affects some hospitals. If you suffered an injury due to this negligence, it can help to consider your options to protect your rights.