PRN Blog - PRN Blog - The association of registered nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes

Many experts agree that the nurse-patient ratio is extremely important when it comes to improved patient outcomes.  There's a new review in December's edition of the journal Medical Care in which researchers evaluated 27 studies of patient outcomes in relation to the registered nurse-to-patient ratio. 

According to the review's findings, if hospitals added one more full-time registered nurse on staff to care for patients, the number of hospital-related deaths in the U.S. could decrease significantly.  The report goes on to say:

"When asked how hospital administrators can be better made aware of these possible rates of improved patient outcomes, lead review author Robert Kane, M.D., said, "The issue is not making them aware of the possibility, it's convincing them that it is in their best interests to act on it. From a business perspective, the savings in reduced lengths of stay would not offset the costs of the added staffing. The case would have to be made in terms of image and liability."

Click here to read the article that was posted on www.news-medical.net.

Posted on 11/29/2007

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