PICOT Question
The PICOT question is as follows: In adult acute care settings (P), does an increase in nurse staffing levels (I), compared to current staffing levels (C), lead to improved patient outcomes, such as decreased rates of healthcare-associated infections, lower patient mortality rates, and decreased medical errors (O), within a six-month timeframe (T)?
Qualitative Research
The qualitative article that supports the research topic is by Endacott and colleagues. The study’s objectives were to analyze the structure of the nursing workforce in hospitals with intensive care and to pinpoint elements that affect how it functions (Endacott et al., 2022). Interviews with critical care system experts, policy experts, and focus groups with intensive care medicine experts were conducted (Endacott et al., 2022).
The authors conclude that three themes emerge when determining how nurse staffing affects patient and care outcomes. Among the themes were the limiting or enabling characteristics of hospital structures, team procedures to reduce nurse staffing deficits, and the influence of nurse staffing (Endacott et al., 2022). Therefore, the article is connected with the research topic by emphasizing that nurse staff shortage is an acute issue in acute care departments.
Quantitative Research
As for the quantitative article, the one by Yoon focuses explicitly on the correlation between the nurse staff shortage and patient health outcomes. The present research sought to examine the impact of nursing staffing on patient health outcomes, including the duration of stay, mortality, and readmission, in Korean acute care hospitals (Yoon, 2022). Consequently, the study determines that the number of early readmissions and the duration of stay were anticipated to decrease as the nurse staffing level rose (Yoon, 2022). Therefore, the authors’s findings help us understand how nurse staffing strategies can improve patient outcomes.
Systematic Review
Finally, the systematic review by Twigg and colleagues is crucial to observing the role of nurse staff shortages in healthcare. The review supports the argument that increased nurse staffing levels will improve results for both nurses and patients (Twigg et al., 2021). The evidence indicates that more Registered Nurse hours improve patient outcomes (Twigg et al., 2021). However, current staffing approaches have not yet established the RN hours required to deliver safe, high-quality, and reasonably priced care (Twigg et al., 2021). Therefore, the issue of nurse staff shortage is relevant nowadays and must be researched further.
References
Endacott, R., Pattison, N., Dall’Ora, C., Griffiths, P., Richardson, A., & Pearce. (2022). The organisation of nurse staffing in intensive care units: A qualitative study. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(5), 1283–1294. Web.
Twigg, D. E., Whitehead, L., Doleman, G., & El-Zaemey, S. (2021). The impact of nurse staffing methodologies on nurse and patient outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(12), 4599–4611. Web.
Yoon H. J. (2022). The effect of nurse staffing on patient outcomes in acute care hospitals in Korea. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), 15566. Web.