Safe nurse staffing policies for hospitals in England, Ireland, California, Victoria and Queensland: A discussion paper (27 August 2020)

Summary

The association between higher registered nurses (RN) staffing (educational level and number) and better patient and nurse outcomes is well-documented. This discussion paper from Van den Heede et al. aims to provide an overview of safe staffing policies in various high-income countries to identify reform trends in response to recurring nurse workforce challenges.

Content

Key points

• Recurrent nurse workforce shortages are a global issue, also in high-income countries.
• Implementation of safe staffing policy measures largely varies across the world.
• Mandated patient-to-nurse ratios are the most straightforward policy to ensure staffing levels.
• Our overview of policies from various high-income countries may guide future decision-making.