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Assessing nursing staffing ratios: variability in workload intensity.
Policy Polit Nurs Pract. 2007 Feb; 8(1):7-19.PP

Abstract

In 2004, California became the first state to implement specific nurse-to-patient ratios for all hospitals. These mandated enactments have caused significant controversy among health care professionals as well as nursing unions and professional organizations. Supporters of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios cite patient care quality, safety, and outcomes, whereas critics point to the lack of solid data and the use of a universally standardized acuity tool. Much more remains to be learned about staffing policies before mature links may be made regarding set staffing ratios and patient outcomes - specifically, how nurses spend their time in terms of variability in their daily work. This study examines two comparable telemetry units with a 1:3 staffing ratio within a California hospital system to determine the relative rates of variability in nursing activities. The results demonstrate significant differences in categorical nursing activities (e.g., direct care, indirect care, etc.) between the two telemetry units (chi(2) = 91.2028; p < or = .0001). No correlation was noted between workload categories with daily staffing ratios and staffing mix between the two units. Although patients were grouped in a similar telemetry classification category and care was mandated at a set ratio, patient needs were variable, creating a significant difference in registered nurse (RN) categorical activities on the two units.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Upenieks VV
School of Nursing, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Kotlerman J
No affiliation info available
Akhavan J
No affiliation info available
Esser J
No affiliation info available
Ngo MJ
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Academic Medical CentersBenchmarkingCaliforniaChi-Square DistributionDocumentationEfficiency, OrganizationalHealth PolicyHumansInpatientsLogistic ModelsNeeds AssessmentNurse's RoleNursing Administration ResearchNursing Staff, HospitalOutcome Assessment, Health CarePersonnel DownsizingPersonnel Staffing and SchedulingProspective StudiesQuality of Health CareSafety ManagementSeverity of Illness IndexTelemetryTime and Motion StudiesWorkforceWorkload

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

17470768

Citation

Upenieks, Valda V., et al. "Assessing Nursing Staffing Ratios: Variability in Workload Intensity." Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, vol. 8, no. 1, 2007, pp. 7-19.
Upenieks VV, Kotlerman J, Akhavan J, et al. Assessing nursing staffing ratios: variability in workload intensity. Policy Polit Nurs Pract. 2007;8(1):7-19.
Upenieks, V. V., Kotlerman, J., Akhavan, J., Esser, J., & Ngo, M. J. (2007). Assessing nursing staffing ratios: variability in workload intensity. Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, 8(1), 7-19.
Upenieks VV, et al. Assessing Nursing Staffing Ratios: Variability in Workload Intensity. Policy Polit Nurs Pract. 2007;8(1):7-19. PubMed PMID: 17470768.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Assessing nursing staffing ratios: variability in workload intensity. AU - Upenieks,Valda V, AU - Kotlerman,Jenny, AU - Akhavan,Jaleh, AU - Esser,Jennifer, AU - Ngo,Myha J, PY - 2007/5/2/pubmed PY - 2007/6/22/medline PY - 2007/5/2/entrez SP - 7 EP - 19 JF - Policy, politics & nursing practice JO - Policy Polit Nurs Pract VL - 8 IS - 1 N2 - In 2004, California became the first state to implement specific nurse-to-patient ratios for all hospitals. These mandated enactments have caused significant controversy among health care professionals as well as nursing unions and professional organizations. Supporters of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios cite patient care quality, safety, and outcomes, whereas critics point to the lack of solid data and the use of a universally standardized acuity tool. Much more remains to be learned about staffing policies before mature links may be made regarding set staffing ratios and patient outcomes - specifically, how nurses spend their time in terms of variability in their daily work. This study examines two comparable telemetry units with a 1:3 staffing ratio within a California hospital system to determine the relative rates of variability in nursing activities. The results demonstrate significant differences in categorical nursing activities (e.g., direct care, indirect care, etc.) between the two telemetry units (chi(2) = 91.2028; p < or = .0001). No correlation was noted between workload categories with daily staffing ratios and staffing mix between the two units. Although patients were grouped in a similar telemetry classification category and care was mandated at a set ratio, patient needs were variable, creating a significant difference in registered nurse (RN) categorical activities on the two units. SN - 1527-1544 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17470768/Assessing_nursing_staffing_ratios:_variability_in_workload_intensity_ L2 - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1527154407300999?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&amp;rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&amp;rfr_dat=cr_pub=pubmed DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -