An observational study of nurse staffing ratios and hospital readmission among children admitted for common conditions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hospital patient-to-nurse staffing ratios are associated with quality outcomes in adult patient populations but little is known about how these factors affect paediatric care. We examined the relationship between staffing ratios and all-cause readmission (within 14 days, 15-30 days) among children admitted for common medical and surgical conditions.

Methods

We conducted an observational cross-sectional study of readmissions of children in 225 hospitals by linking nurse surveys, inpatient discharge data and information from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Registered Nurses (N=14 194) providing direct patient care in study hospitals (N=225) and children hospitalised for common conditions (N=90 459) were included.

Results

Each one patient incr

SUBMITTER: Tubbs-Cooley HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3756461 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature