University of Phoenix Survey Shows That While Roles of Nurses and Administrative Staff are Growing, Health Professionals Believe Quality of Care May Suffer without Training

Expanding roles of healthcare professionals calls for more training to ensure quality of patient care

PHOENIX, October 11, 2016 — While the majority of registered nurses (81 percent) and hospital administration staff (78 percent) identify that the future of healthcare is shifting an increased focus on patient care into their hands, these professionals (69 percent of RNs, 65 percent of staff) also identify that patients should be very concerned with the quality of care provided, according to a recent University of Phoenix® College of Health Professions survey conducted online by Harris Poll.

The survey of 250 registered nurses and 253 healthcare administrative staff found that over the past two years, the roles of registered nurses and administrative staff have expanded, with about a third of each group seeing an increased involvement in patients’ emotional well-being (37 percent of RNs, 31 percent of staff) and many increasing their role in overall patient care planning (49 percent, 35 percent). While both registered nurses and administrative staff see problem-solving and customer service skills as essential for staying relevant in healthcare, 68 percent of administrative staff also view technology skills as the key to staying relevant.

“How we care for patients is as dynamic of a process as the individuals themselves,” said Doris Savron, executive dean, University of Phoenix College of Health Professions. “Healthcare staff, including registered nurses and administrative staff, are the lifeblood of the healthcare system. As they are increasingly tasked with more responsibility, it is essential that they are prepared to meet the demands of patient care and management to ensure quality care.”

According to the survey, most registered nurses (90 percent) and administrative staff (88 percent) have identified that their facilities should focus on preparing them with leadership skills, with 62 percent of registered nurses and 74 percent of administrative staff agreeing their facility currently does a good job.

The need for training may have an impact on the quality of care patients receive. About three in five registered nurses shared that patient physical safety (63 percent) and site contamination (58 percent) are aspects patients should be “very concerned” about.

“Innovative solutions like nurses’ and healthcare administrators’ use of technology and informatics are essential to preparing tomorrow’s healthcare leaders, and can help ensure better patient outcomes,” Savron said. “University of Phoenix has designed programs to prepare nurses and healthcare administrators to stay on the pulse of the rapidly-evolving healthcare industry, including offering curriculum in timely areas of need like informatics, gerontology, and sustainability management.”

For more information about University of Phoenix programs, including on-time completion rates, the median debt incurred by students who completed the program and other important information, please visit phoenix.edu/programs/gainful-employment. To learn more about programs offered through the College of Health Professions, visit phoenix.edu/chp.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix between June 23 and July 1, 2016. Respondents included 503 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, working full-time in healthcare as either a registered nurse or healthcare administrative staff for two years or more. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Becky Frost at becky.frost@apollo.edu.

About University of Phoenix® College of Health Professions
University of Phoenix® College of Health Professions offers leading-edge graduate, undergraduate, certificate, and non-degree programs aimed at preparing students to improve the quality of healthcare in their communities and the industry. The College of Health Professions is helping to ensure that today’s graduates can effectively tackle tomorrow’s healthcare challenges. For more information, visit phoenix.edu/chp.

About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. As a subsidiary of  Apollo Education Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.