The effect of nurse staffing on patient-safety outcomes: A cross-sectional survey

Aim To analyse the effect of nurse staffing (number of nurses and staff structure) on patient-safety outcomes in hospitals in China. Background The number of nurses has been shown to have a significant effect on patient-safety outcomes, but the structure of the nursing staff has received little attention. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 211 units of 13 hospitals. Data on four patient-safety outcomes and numerical and structural indices of nurse staffing were collected from seven types of hospital units. Results Nurse staffing had inconsistent effects on units' rates of fall and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. The nurse-to-patient ratio and rate of nurses with work experience <= 5 years predicted fall rates, and rate of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers was positively correlated to the level of nurse staffing (low nurse-to-patient ratio and high bed-to-nurse number). Conclusions The number and structure of nurses are both important to patient safety, and the rate of nurses with work experience <= 5 years might be a protective factor against adverse events. Implications for Nursing Management Patient outcomes correlated with the number and structure of the nursing staff. Methods to balance the structure of nursing staff might be a topic worthy of examination in future studies.