Nurses play a critical role in delivering quality patient care.  Hospitals rely on their nursing professionals 24/7 to meet the constantly changing demand for inpatient services.  So, it’s hardly surprising that studies published in medical and nursing journals indicate a consistent link between registered nurse staffing levels and quality care.

One recent study published in March in the New England Journal of Medicine found that insufficient nurse staffing was related to higher patient mortality rates.  The study, “Nurse Staffing and Inpatient Hospital Mortality,” reported that the mortality risk for patients was approximately 6 percent higher on units that were understaffed, compared with units that were fully staffed.  The researchers also found that when high patient turnover increases a nurse’s workload, the risk of mortality also increased.

A team from the University of California, San Francisco, conducted another nursing staffing study.  The results, published in the April issue of Medical Care, indicated that higher staffing levels were associated with fewer deaths, fewer failure-to-rescue incidents, lower rates of infection and shorter hospital stays.

Four years ago, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality conducted a comprehensive report on “Nursing Staffing and Quality of Patient Care.”  This meta-analysis of prior studies came to the same conclusion: shortages of registered nurses, along with increased nursing workloads, resulted in compromised patient safety.

Since labor costs constitute a substantial percentage of hospital budgets, cutting staffing levels can reduce day-to-day operating expenses.  However, these studies strongly indicate that strategy can be a “penny-wise, pound-foolish” decision that raises the risk level for the hospital.  Certainly, a lawsuit over a preventable patient death or injury can result in significant legal expenses regardless of the outcome of the case. It’s also important to consider the hospital’s reputation in the community - if patients perceive a drop in quality, they are likely to choose other facilities.

The bottom line: Adequate nursing staffing is vital to a hospital in terms of long-term sustainability as well as quality patient care.