Case for hospital nurse-to-patient ratio legislation in Queensland, Australia, hospitals: an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine whether there was variation in nurse staffing across hospitals in Queensland prior to implementation of nurse-to-patient ratio legislation targeting medical-surgical wards, and if so, the extent to which nurse staffing variation was associated with poor outcomes for patients and nurses.

Design

Analysis of cross-sectional data derived from nurse surveys linked with admitted patient outcomes data.

Setting

Public hospitals in Queensland.

Participants

4372 medical-surgical nurses and 146 456 patients in 68 public hospitals.

Main outcome measures

30-day mortality, quality and safety indicators, nurse outcomes including emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction.

Results

Medical-surgical nurse-to-patient ratios before implement

SUBMITTER: McHugh MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7476482 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature