How Should Focus Be Shifted From Individual Preference to Collective Wisdom for Patients at the End of Life With Antimicrobial-Resistant Infections?

Despite growth in numbers of organizational antimicrobial stewardship programs, antimicrobial resistance continues to escalate. Interprofessional education and collaboration are needed to make these programs appropriately responsive to the ethically and clinically complex needs of patients at the end of life whose care plans still require antimicrobial management.

Reliability and Validity of Measures Commonly Utilized to Assess Nurse Well-Being.

BACKGROUND: A healthy nursing workforce is vital to ensuring that patients are provided quality care. Assessing nurses' well-being and related factors requires routine evaluations from health system leaders that leverage brief psychometrically sound measures. To date, measures used to assess nurses' well-being have primarily been psychometrically tested among other clinicians or nurses working in specific clinical practice settings rather than in large, representative, heterogeneous samples of nurses. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to psychometrically test measures frequently used to evaluate factors linked to nurse well-being in a heterogeneous sample of nurses within a large academic health system. METHODS: This cross-sectional, survey-based study used a convenience sample of nurses working across acute care practice settings. A total of 177 nurses completed the measures that included the Professional Quality of Life (proQOL), the short form of the Professional Quality of Life measure, the Connor Davidson Resiliency 2-Item (CD-RISC-2), the World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5), the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), and the single item Mini-Z. Internal reliability and convergent validity were assessed for each measure. RESULTS: All the measures were found to be reliable. Brief measures used to assess domains of well-being demonstrated validity with longer measures, as evident by significant correlation coefficients. DISCUSSION: This study provides support for the reliability and validity of measures commonly used to assess well-being in a diverse sample of nurses working across acute care settings. Data from routine assessments of the nursing workforce hold the potential to guide the implementation and evaluation of interventions capable of promoting workplace well-being. Assessments should include psychometrically sound, low-burden measures, such as those evaluated in this study.

Medicare meets the cloud: the development of a secure platform for the storage and analysis of claims data.

Introduction: Cloud-based solutions are a modern-day necessity for data intense computing. This case report describes in detail the development and implementation of Amazon Web Services (AWS) at Emory-a secure, reliable, and scalable platform to store and analyze identifiable research data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Materials and Methods: Interdisciplinary teams from CMS, MBL Technologies, and Emory University collaborated to ensure compliance with CMS policy that consolidates laws, regulations, and other drivers of information security and privacy. Results: A dedicated team of individuals ensured successful transition from a physical storage server to a cloud-based environment. This included implementing access controls, vulnerability scanning, and audit logs that are reviewed regularly with a remediation plan. User adaptation required specific training to overcome the challenges of cloud computing. Conclusion: Challenges created opportunities for lessons learned through the creation of an end-product accepted by CMS and shared across disciplines university-wide.

Developing a Quality Improvement Implementation Taxonomy for Organizational Employee Wellness Initiatives.

BACKGROUND: Standardized taxonomies (STs) facilitate knowledge representation and semantic interoperability within health care provision and research. However, a gap exists in capturing knowledge representation to classify, quantify, qualify, and codify the intersection of evidence and quality improvement (QI) implementation. This interprofessional case report leverages a novel semantic and ontological approach to bridge this gap. OBJECTIVES: This report had two objectives. First, it aimed to synthesize implementation barrier and facilitator data from employee wellness QI initiatives across Veteran Affairs health care systems through a semantic and ontological approach. Second, it introduced an original framework of this use-case-based taxonomy on implementation barriers and facilitators within a QI process. METHODS: We synthesized terms from combined datasets of all-site implementation barriers and facilitators through QI cause-and-effect analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. We developed the Quality Improvement and Implementation Taxonomy (QIIT) classification scheme to categorize synthesized terms and structure. This framework employed a semantic and ontological approach. It was built upon existing terms and models from the QI Plan, Do, Study, Act phases, the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains, and the fishbone cause-and-effect categories. RESULTS: The QIIT followed a hierarchical and relational classification scheme. Its taxonomy was linked to four QI Phases, five Implementing Domains, and six Conceptual Determinants modified by customizable Descriptors and Binary or Likert Attribute Scales. CONCLUSION: This case report introduces a novel approach to standardize the process and taxonomy to describe evidence translation to QI implementation barriers and facilitators. This classification scheme reduces redundancy and allows semantic agreements on concepts and ontological knowledge representation. Integrating existing taxonomies and models enhances the efficiency of reusing well-developed taxonomies and relationship modeling among constructs. Ultimately, employing STs helps generate comparable and sharable QI evaluations for forecast, leading to sustainable implementation with clinically informed innovative solutions.

Developing a Quality Improvement Implementation Taxonomy for Organizational Employee Wellness Initiatives.

BACKGROUND: Standardized taxonomies (STs) facilitate knowledge representation and semantic interoperability within health care provision and research. However, a gap exists in capturing knowledge representation to classify, quantify, qualify, and codify the intersection of evidence and quality improvement (QI) implementation. This interprofessional case report leverages a novel semantic and ontological approach to bridge this gap. OBJECTIVES: This report had two objectives. First, it aimed to synthesize implementation barrier and facilitator data from employee wellness QI initiatives across Veteran Affairs health care systems through a semantic and ontological approach. Second, it introduced an original framework of this use-case-based taxonomy on implementation barriers and facilitators within a QI process. METHODS: We synthesized terms from combined datasets of all-site implementation barriers and facilitators through QI cause-and-effect analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. We developed the Quality Improvement and Implementation Taxonomy (QIIT) classification scheme to categorize synthesized terms and structure. This framework employed a semantic and ontological approach. It was built upon existing terms and models from the QI Plan, Do, Study, Act phases, the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains, and the fishbone cause-and-effect categories. RESULTS: The QIIT followed a hierarchical and relational classification scheme. Its taxonomy was linked to four QI Phases, five Implementing Domains, and six Conceptual Determinants modified by customizable Descriptors and Binary or Likert Attribute Scales. CONCLUSION: This case report introduces a novel approach to standardize the process and taxonomy to describe evidence translation to QI implementation barriers and facilitators. This classification scheme reduces redundancy and allows semantic agreements on concepts and ontological knowledge representation. Integrating existing taxonomies and models enhances the efficiency of reusing well-developed taxonomies and relationship modeling among constructs. Ultimately, employing STs helps generate comparable and sharable QI evaluations for forecast, leading to sustainable implementation with clinically informed innovative solutions.

Meta-Analysis of Medication Administration Errors in African Hospitals.

ABSTRACT: The incidence of medication administration errors (MAEs) and associated patient harm continue to plague hospitals worldwide. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence to address this problem, especially in Africa. This research synthesis was intended to provide current evidence to decrease the incidence of MAEs in Africa. Standardized search criteria were used to identify primary studies that reported the incidence and/or predictors of MAEs in Africa. Included studies met specifications and were validated with a quality-appraisal tool. The pooled incidence of MAEs in African hospitals was estimated to be 0.56 (CI: 0.4324-0.6770) with a 0.13-0.93 prediction interval. The primary estimates were highly heterogeneous. Most MAEs are explained by system failure and patient factors. The contribution of system factors can be minimized through adequate and ongoing training of nurses on the aspects of safe medication administration. In addition, ensuring the availability of drug use guidelines in hospitals, and minimizing disruptions during the medication process can decrease the incidence of MAEs in Africa.

Nurse Work Environment and Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile Infection.

BACKGROUND: Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of hospital-onset diarrhea and is associated with increased lengths of stay and mortality. While some hospitals have successfully reduced the burden of C. difficile infection (CDI), many still struggle to reduce hospital-onset CDI. Nurses-because of their close proximity to patients-are an important resource in the prevention of hospital-onset CDI. OBJECTIVE: Determine whether there is an association between the nurse work environment and hospital-onset CDI. METHODS: Survey data of 2016 were available from 15,982 nurses employed in 353 acute care hospitals. These data, aggregated to the hospital level, provided measures of the nurse work environments. They were merged with 2016 hospital-onset CDI data from Hospital Compare, which provided our outcome measure-whether a hospital had a standardized infection ratio (SIR) above or below the national average SIR. Hospitals above the average SIR had more infections than predicted when compared to the national average. RESULTS: In all, 188 hospitals (53%) had SIRs higher than the national average. The odds of hospitals having higher than average SIRs were significantly lower, with odds ratios ranging from 0.35 to 0.45, in hospitals in the highest quartile for all four nurse work environment subscales (managerial support, nurse participation in hospital governance, physician-nurse relations, and adequate staffing) than in hospitals in the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Findings show an association between the work environment of nurses and hospital-onset CDI. A promising strategy to lower hospital-onset CDI and other infections is a serious and sustained commitment by hospital leaders to significantly improve nurse work environments.

Frontline Worker Safety in the Age of COVID-19: A Global Perspective.

The third annual Health Watch USA sm webinar conference assembled 16 speakers from 4 continents who shared information regarding frontline worker safety in the age of COVID-19. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a nearly 4000% increase in workplace illness in 2020 compared with 2019. It is estimated that 2% of the U.S. workforce is not working because of long COVID. In addition, the impact is growing with each surge. After the acute illness, patients are often described as recovered, when in fact many have only survived and are coping with the multisystem impacts of long COVID. Long COVID, including its late cognitive, cardiovascular, embolic, and diabetic complications, disproportionately impacts frontline workers, many of whom are of lower socioeconomic status and represented by ethnic minorities. Natural infection and current vaccines do not provide durable protection for reinfection. Herd immunity is not possible at this time. Although SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to be eliminated, decreasing spread is imperative to slow the rate of mutations, decrease the number of reinfections, and lower the chances of developing long COVID. The primary mode of spread is through aerosolization. Both routine breathing and talking aerosolizes the virus. With the extremely high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, it is unlikely that central building ventilation alone will be enough to satisfactorily mitigate spread. Additional safe active air cleaning technology, such as upper-room germicidal UV-C lighting, needs to be deployed. Misinformation and disinformation have inhibited response effectiveness. Examples include downplaying the benefit of well-fitted masks and the risks that COVID-19 and long COVID pose to children, along with believing children cannot spread the disease. The engagement of local community leaders is essential to educate the community and drive social change to accept vaccinations and other public health interventions. Vaccinations and natural immunity alone are unlikely to adequately prevent community spread and do not provide durable protection against the risk of long COVID. Frontline workers must keep their immunity as high as possible and work in settings with clean air, along with wearing N95 masks when they are in contact with the public. Finally, there needs to be a financial safety net for frontline workers and their families in the event of incapacitation or death from COVID-19.

Nurse practitioner job preference: A discrete choice experiment.

BACKGROUND: Nurse practitioners play a critical role in improving the access to care and in meeting the needs for health care. However, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the average turnover rate of nurse practitioners was 10 % with associated total direct cost that ranged from $85,832 to $114,919 for each episode of turnover in the United States. Little is known about the job preference of nurse practitioners and the cost savings to an organization that provides jobs with characteristics attractive to nurse practitioners. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the preferred job characteristics that are associated with nurse practitioners' job choices; and to determine the extent to which nurse practitioners would need to be compensated for practicing without these characteristics. DESIGN: A two-stage design using a mixed method approach. SETTING(S): The state of Georgia in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: 2757 nurse practitioners who were actively licensed were invited to participate. Of the 412 participants, 372 actively employed in Georgia were included in the analysis. METHODS: A 2-stage discrete choice experiment was designed. Stage-1 was a qualitative design using a focus group to identify nurse practitioners' preferred job characteristics. Stage-2 was a quantitative design using survey distribution and analysis. A mixed logit model was used for ranking nurse practitioners' preferred job characteristics and the extent to which they would need to be compensated. RESULTS: On average nurse practitioners were 47.4 years of age; the majority were female (90 %), white (75.3 %), and educated at the master's level (88.7 %). Participants did not value teams that were not very cohesive (ß = -1.50); administration that was not very responsive and supportive (ß = -1.04); being supervised by a physician (ß = -0.58); not having their own panel of patients (ß = -0.42); and not billing under their own National Provider Identifier (ß = -0.18). Participants would need an increase in annual income of USD$21,780 for practicing in a not very cohesive team; USD$15,280 for practicing with a not very responsive administration; and USD$21,450 for being supervised by a physician. CONCLUSIONS: A cohesive, responsive, and supportive working environment and being able to practice independently are important characteristics for nurse practitioners when choosing a job. Healthcare managers should provide a workplace culture that reflects these preferred job characteristics to attract and retain nurse practitioners. Policymakers should consider reforming the scope of practice legislation to promote the independent practice of nurse practitioners.

The practice environment of primary care nurses: A cross-sectional study of five health care districts in San Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Primary care is a fundamental component of healthcare in Brazil. Often provided by nurses, little is known about the practice environment of nurses in primary care and if nurses are satisfied with their role in the primary care setting. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if aspects of the primary care practice environment in Brazil are associated nurse reported outcomes of job satisfaction, intention to stay on the job, and the quality of care. Design: A cross-sectional survey that included a randomized cluster stratified sample of nurses who provided primary care services. Settings: 55 health centers within five health districts located in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Participants: 148 primary care nurses who completed and returned a survey. Methods: The paper-based survey was made available to nurse participants. Nurses were queried on demographic and practice characteristics. Specific measures included the Practice Environment Scale-Brazilian, the job satisfaction subscale of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, and single items that assessed intention to stay on the job and the perceived quality of care. Generalized linear and Poisson regression models were used to estimates outcomes of interest. Results: Slightly more than half (56.5%) of the nurses reported a favorable practice environment and they provided on average a high score of 75.29 (SD = 21.03) on job satisfaction. High scores were also reported on intention to stay on the job (mean = 8.08; SD = 2.91) and the quality of patient care (mean = 7.68; SD = 1.38). In a fully adjusted regression model, a favorable practice environment was significantly associated with a 2.15 (p <0.0001) increase in job satisfaction, a 1.72 (p = 0.0003) increase in the intention to stay on the job and a 1.16 (p < 0.001) increase in the nurse reported quality of patient care. Conclusion: Overall, our sample of Brazilian nurses that work in primary care reported a favorable perception of their practice environment. This likely contributed to their high scores on intention to stay on the job and the overall quality of patient care. Nurse managers and administrators should focus their attention on aspects of the practice environment as a low cost means to attract and retain nurses in primary care and to improve the overall quality of care.

Association of Registered Nurse Staffing With Mortality Risk of Medicare Beneficiaries Hospitalized With Sepsis.

Importance: Sepsis is a major physiologic response to infection that if not managed properly can lead to multiorgan failure and death. The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that hospitals collect data on core sepsis measure Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP-1) in an effort to promote the early recognition and treatment of sepsis. Despite implementation of the SEP-1 measure, sepsis-related mortality continues to challenge acute care hospitals nationwide. Objective: To determine if registered nurse workload was associated with mortality in Medicare beneficiaries admitted to an acute care hospital with sepsis. Design Setting and Participants: This cross-sectional study used 2018 data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, CMS Hospital Compare, and Medicare claims on Medicare beneficiaries age 65 to 99 years with a primary diagnosis of sepsis that was present on admission to 1 of 1958 nonfederal, general acute care hospitals that had data on CMS SEP-1 scores and registered nurse workload (indicated by registered nurse hours per patient day [HPPD]). Patients with sepsis were identified based on 29 International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes. Data were analyzed throughout 2021. Exposures: SEP-1 score and registered nurse staffing. Main Outcomes and Measures: The patient outcome of interest was mortality within 60 days of admission. Hospital characteristics included number of beds, ownership, teaching status, technology status, rurality, and region. Patient characteristics included age, sex, transfer status, intensive care unit admission, palliative care, do-not-resuscitate order, and a series of 29 comorbid diseases based on the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Results: In total, 702 140 Medicare beneficiaries (mean [SD] age, 78.2 [8.7] years; 360 804 women [51%]) had a diagnosis of sepsis. The mean SEP-1 score was 56.1, and registered nurse HPPD was 6.2. In a multivariable regression model, each additional registered nurse HPPD was associated with a 3% decrease in the odds of 60-day mortality (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI 0.96-0.99) controlling for SEP-1 score and hospital and patient characteristics. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that hospitals that provide more registered nurse hours of care could likely improve SEP-1 bundle compliance and decrease the likelihood of mortality in Medicare beneficiaries with sepsis.

Diversity in nursing and challenges with the NCLEX-RN.

High-stakes, standardized testing has historically impeded education/career attainment for members of underrepresented minority groups and people needing testing accommodations. This study was to understand how high-stakes, standardized testing, particularly the NCLEX-RN, impacts diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in nursing. This study explored the history, context, perspectives surrounding standardized testing, with a focus on the NCLEX-RN. The authors consider content, form, and delivery of testing, including accommodations. They identify available data and data collection gaps relevant to DEI and the NCLEX-RN. No nursing organization published the national data necessary to evaluate/refine the NCLEX-RN from a DEI perspective. Preliminary nursing studies and data from other professions indicated disparities in testing outcomes. Nursing must determine if prospective nurses are experiencing disparities in testing outcomes. The authors highlight opportunities to advance DEI through improved data collection, reformed licensure processes, and the reframing of standardized testing as one of many tools to determine competency.

The characteristics and practice proficiency of nurse practitioners who care for older adults.

Roughly 54 million Americans are 65 years of age or older. Given the number of comorbid diseases reported in older adults, healthcare tailored to the specific needs of this population is imperative. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are uniquely positioned to provide care to older adults; yet little is known about the geriatric-oriented NP workforce. In this study, four professional organizations distributed a survey link to their members who were queried on their demographic, employment, and practice characteristics; one organization's members responded to a previous survey, providing two time points for comparison. Compared with 2016 respondents, there was minimal growth in diversity, fewer who practice in suburban or rural areas, and restrictions on clinical education related to the ongoing pandemic. The findings from this study should alert policymakers of the need to address the development of an adequate workforce of clinicians who specialize in geriatrics.

Hospital nurse staffing and sepsis protocol compliance and outcomes among patients with sepsis in the USA: a multistate cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Sepsis is a serious inflammatory response to infection with a high death rate. Timely and effective treatment may improve sepsis outcomes resulting in mandatory sepsis care protocol adherence reporting. How the impact of patient-to-nurse staffing compares to sepsis protocol compliance and patient outcomes is not well understood. This study aimed to determine the association between hospital sepsis protocol compliance, patient-to-nurse staffing ratios and patient outcomes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study examining hospital nurse staffing, sepsis protocol compliance and sepsis patient outcomes, using linked data from nurse (2015-2016, 2020) and hospital (2017) surveys, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare (2017) and corresponding MedPAR patient claims. SETTING: 537 hospitals across six US states (California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and New Jersey). PARTICIPANTS: 252 699 Medicare inpatients with sepsis present on admission. MEASURES: The explanatory variables are nurse staffing and SEP-1 compliance. Outcomes are mortality (within 30 and 60 days of index admission), readmissions (within 7, 30, and 60 days of discharge), admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and lengths of stay (LOS). RESULTS: Sepsis protocol compliance and nurse staffing vary widely across hospitals. Each additional patient per nurse was associated with increased odds of 30-day and 60-day mortality (9% (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13) and 10% (1.10, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.14)), 7-day, 30-day and 60-day readmission (8% (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.11, p<0.001), 7% (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.10, p<0.001), 7% (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.10, p<0.001)), ICU admission (12% (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.22, p=0.007)) and increased relative risk of longer LOS (10% (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.12, p<0.001)). Each 10% increase in sepsis protocol compliance was associated with shorter LOS (2% ([OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97 to 0.99, p<0.001)) only. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes are more strongly associated with improved nurse staffing than with increased compliance with sepsis protocols.

Does Root Cause Analysis Improve Patient Safety? A Systematic Review at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While root cause analysis (RCA) is used to analyze medical errors with a systems approach, evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing patient harm remains sparse. The heterogeneity of the RCA methodology at different health care organizations has posed challenges to studying its value. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an established and standardized RCA approach, making it an ideal context to study RCA's impact. This review assessed whether implemented interventions recommended by RCAs were effective in mitigating preventable adverse events at the VA. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Business Source were searched for studies on RCAs performed at the VA that evaluated effectiveness of interventions and were published between 2010 and 2020. The Appraisal Tool for Cross-sectional Studies (AXIS) was used to assess bias of bias. RESULTS: The majority of studies eliminated during our eligibility process reported on RCAs without attention to their specific impact on patient safety. Ten retrospective studies met inclusion criteria and were part of the final review. Studies were grouped into adverse events related to incorrect surgical/invasive procedures, suicides, falls with injury, and all-cause adverse events. Six studies reported on effectiveness by demonstrating quantitative changes in adverse events over time or by location following a specific intervention. Four studies reported on the effectiveness of implemented interventions using a facility-based rating of "much better" or "better." CONCLUSIONS: Of the studies included in this review, all reported improvements following interventions implemented after RCAs, but with variability in study definitions and methodology to assess effectiveness. Increased reporting of outcomes following RCAs, with an emphasis on quantitative patient-related outcome measures, is needed to demonstrate the impact and value of the RCA.

Registered nurses: can our supply meet the demand during a disaster?

BACKGROUND: Death and destructions are often reported during natural disasters; yet little is known about how hospitals operate during disasters and if there are sufficient resources available for hospitals to provide ongoing care during these catastrophic events. The purpose of this study was to determine if the State of New Jersey had a supply of registered nurses (RNs) that was sufficient to meet the needs of hospitalized patients during a natural disaster - Hurricane Sandy. METHODS: Secondary data were used to forecast the demand and supply of New Jersey RNs during Hurricane Sandy. Data sources from November 2011 and 2012 included the State Inpatient Databases (SID), American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey on hospital characteristics and staffing data from New Jersey Department of Health. Three models were used to estimate the RN shortage for each hospital, which was the difference between the demand and supply of RN full-time equivalents. RESULTS: Data were available on 66 New Jersey hospitals, more than half of which experienced a shortage of RNs during Hurricane Sandy. For hospitals with a RN shortage in ICUs, a 20% increase in observed RN supply was needed to meet the demand; and a 10% increase in observed RN supply was necessary to meet the demand for hospitals with a RN shortage in non-ICUs. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that many hospitals in New Jersey had a shortage of RNs during Hurricane Sandy. Efforts are needed to improve the availability of nurse resources during a natural disaster.

Urosepsis in Older Adults: Epidemiologic Trends in Florida.

The incidence and geographic distribution of urosepsis, a life-threatening condition in older adults, is not well understood. The Florida State Inpatient Databases (2012-2014) showed an increase in the incidence of community-acquired urosepsis (5.37 to 6.16 per 1000), particularly among Hispanic older adults residing in low socioeconomic, urban areas with large numbers of nursing homes. These findings suggest a state policy is needed to address community-based preventative care and education for early detection of urosepsis in low-income urban areas. It is important for local health departments to partner with nursing homes to address disparities in care that disproportionally impact Hispanics.

State and national data on the Georgia nursing workforce.

BACKGROUND: The enduring absence of robust nursing workforce data creates gaps to support evidence-based workforce planning and policy development. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine Georgia nursing workforce data available through state and national agencies to determine if significance differences exist among data sources. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of 2017 Georgia nursing workforce data was used to examine and compare workforce characteristics available from five data sources. The advantages and limitations of each data source were reviewed. FINDINGS: Significant differences were noted in the quality and quantity of data collected on the Georgia nursing workforce as reported by state and national agencies. None of the datasets include in our analysis had comprehensive and timely data on the Georgia nursing workforce. DISCUSSION: Nursing workforce stakeholders must work collaboratively to require and implement a comprehensive re-licensure survey. It is only though a standardized national minimum dataset that we can ensure an adequate nursing workforce.