This study sought to identify relationships between nurse staffing and patient outcomes for a large-scale cross-section of U.S. hospitals and their inpatients. While such relationships may be assumed by some to exist prima facie, little evidence exists which quantifies nursing's impact or particular outcomes. Today's pressures for hospital cost control make it imperative to determine whether differences across acute care hospitals in nurse staffing can be statistically shown to relate to measurable differences in important patient outcomes. The outcome measures chosen for this study are morbidities which can reasonably be theorized to be preventable in some patients by the amount and skill mix of nursing care provided. This study uses data from nine states: California, New York , Massachusetts, Arizona, Florida, Virginia, Minnesota, North Dakota and Texas. Nurse staffing data were developed from nationally available data sources provided by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Simply put, all analyses of the five original outcome measures (length of stay, pneumonia, postoperative infections, pressure ulcers and urinary tract infections) show both statistically significant equations and relationships in the predicted direction with nurse staffing. Shorter lengths of stay were found to be associated with greater staffing levels (defined as licensed hours per acuity adjusted day). It seems obvious to even the unenlightened that cutting nursing staff to save money may endanger patients' well-being.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will have the ability to: 1. Identify concerns related to health care quality. 2. Define nursing's quality indicators. 3. Discuss ways in which nursing's quality indicators have been used to determine quality of care in the inpatient setting.
Keywords: Indicators, Outcomes Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: American Nurses Association
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment