Nursing shortages in surgery increase risk of patient death

Surgery patients have a roughly 10% higher chance of dying on a ward with low nursing staffing levels, a new study has suggested.

The study, published by Oxford University Press and conducted by University of Southampton researchers, analysed data from 213,910 NHS hospital admissions of surgical patients between April 2015 and February 2020, to see the relationship between nurse staffing and adverse outcomes.

It found that both registered nursing and nursing support worker shortages on the surgery ward strongly correlated with increased risks of longer hospital stays, readmissions, hospital-developed conditions such as pressure ulcers and death.

According to the research, the relative risk of a surgical patient dying was increased by 9% for each day where registered nursing shortages were reported.

The study found evidence that registered nursing shortages correlated with a 5% increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, 6% for pneumonia and 6% for pressure ulcers.

Paul Meredith, lead author and senior researcher at the University of Southampton, said the research would act as a “timely reminder” about the impact of workload on patients outcomes.

“The safety of patients undergoing surgery is paramount and there is rightly a considerable emphasis on appropriate systems, policies, and procedures,” said Mr Meredith.

“This research is a timely reminder that workload is also a major driver of risk and that risks to surgical patients persist beyond the immediate operative period.

“Adequate nurse staffing on wards is vital to ensure the safety of patients undergoing and recovering from surgery.”

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Source: The Nursing Times, 24 September 2024