Joint Commission adds nurse staffing to 2026 national hospital performance goals.

Joint Commission adds nurse staffing to 2026 national hospital performance goals. The Joint Commission has included nurse staffing in its 2026 national hospital performance goals. The American Nurses Association applauded the change, calling it a “historic victory for nurses and patients.” Performance Goal 12 includes the requirement that “there must be an adequate number of licensed registered nurses, licensed practical (vocational) nurses, and other staff to provide nursing care to all patients, as needed.” It also states that when an undesirable event occurs, analysis must include adequacy of nurse staffing as a possible cause and actions taken to correct any deficit. However, the vague wording and lack of any measure of what is considered adequate staffing, leaves room for hospitals to implement the goal in ways that compromise patient safety and quality of nursing care, such as the use of mandatory overtime, gig nursing, or staffing models that replace RNs with LPNs or support staff.