Safety implications of different forms of understaffing among nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic (9 July 2021)

Summary

This study, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, investigates the processes through which personnel understaffing and expertise understaffing jointly shape near misses among nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic. It looks at survey data collected from 120 nurses in the United States of America working in hospitals during the pandemic.

The authors conclude that the challenges created by understaffing of nurses have been amplified by the pandemic. They suggest that understanding the mechanisms through which safety outcomes are affected by understaffing can help healthcare organisations be better prepare for safety challenges that may arise when staffing shortages are experienced.