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  • Title: Acuity, nurse staffing and workforce, missed care and patient outcomes: A cluster-unit-level descriptive comparison.
    Author: Juvé-Udina ME, González-Samartino M, López-Jiménez MM, Planas-Canals M, Rodríguez-Fernández H, Batuecas Duelt IJ, Tapia-Pérez M, Pons Prats M, Jiménez-Martínez E, Barberà Llorca MÀ, Asensio-Flores S, Berbis-Morelló C, Zuriguel-Pérez E, Delgado-Hito P, Rey Luque Ó, Zabalegui A, Fabrellas N, Adamuz J.
    Journal: J Nurs Manag; 2020 Nov; 28(8):2216-2229. PubMed ID: 32384199.
    Abstract:
    AIM: To compare the patient acuity, nurse staffing and workforce, missed nursing care and patient outcomes among hospital unit-clusters. BACKGROUND: Relationships among acuity, nurse staffing and workforce, missed nursing care and patient outcomes are not completely understood. METHOD: Descriptive design with data from four unit-clusters: medical, surgical, combined and step-down units. Descriptive statistics were used to compare acuity, nurse staffing coverage, education and expertise, missed nursing care and selected nurse-sensitive outcomes. RESULTS: Patient acuity in general (medical, surgical and combined) floors is similar to step-down units, with an average of 5.6 required RN hours per patient day. In general wards, available RN hours per patient day reach only 50% of required RN hours to meet patient needs. Workforce measures are comparable among unit-clusters, and average missed nursing care is 21%. Patient outcomes vary among unit-clusters. CONCLUSION: Patient acuity is similar among unit-clusters, while nurse staffing coverage is halved in general wards. While RN education, expertise and missed care are comparable among unit-clusters, mortality, skin injuries and risk of family compassion fatigue rates are higher in general wards. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers play a pivotal role in hustling policymakers to address structural understaffing in general wards, to maximize patient safety outcomes.
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