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Nursing staff ratio and skill mix in Swedish emergency departments: A national cross-sectional benchmark study.
Dalarna University, School of Health and Welfare, Caring Science/Nursing.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1815-799x
2021 (English)In: Journal of Nursing Management, ISSN 0966-0429, E-ISSN 1365-2834, Vol. 29, no 8, p. 2594-2602Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

AIM: To describe ratio and skill mix for nursing staff in Swedish emergency departments over a specific 24-hour period.

BACKGROUND: The link between number of patients per nursing staff and missed nursing care is well described within the in-hospital setting, showing association with negative outcomes such as increased mortality. Potential association within the emergency department setting is still unexplored.

METHOD: A national descriptive cross-sectional benchmark study.

RESULTS: The majority (n=54; 89%) of Swedish emergency departments participated. The patients-per-registered nurse ratio varied between the shifts, from 0.3 patients to 8.8 patients (mean 3.2). The variation of patients per licensed practical nurse varied, from 1.5 to 23.5 patients (mean 5.0). The average skill mix was constant at around 60% registered nurses and 40% licensed practical nurses.

CONCLUSION: The varying ratios for patient per registered nurse and licensed practical nurse in Swedish emergency departments is noteworthy. Furthermore, the patient flow and nursing staff numbers did not match one another, resulting in higher nursing staff ratios during the evening shift.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Findings can be used to improve rosters in relation to crowding, to manage the challenging recruitment and retention situation for nursing staff and to improve patient safety.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2021. Vol. 29, no 8, p. 2594-2602
Keywords [en]
Emergency Departments, Nursing staff hospital, Patient Safety, Registered Nurse, Workload
National Category
Nursing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:du-37833DOI: 10.1111/jonm.13424ISI: 000680943100001PubMedID: 34273138Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85111754066OAI: oai:DiVA.org:du-37833DiVA, id: diva2:1582985
Available from: 2021-08-04 Created: 2021-08-04 Last updated: 2023-03-17Bibliographically approved

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Berg, Lena M

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
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Language
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Output format
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