First Advisor

Cahill, Michael

College

Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

Degree Name

MS Health Services Administration

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Number of Pages

48 pages

Abstract

Hospital administrators are given the challenge of how to staff their hospitals cost effectively while maintaining a safe culture for the public. This study was conducted to determine the association between the patient to nurse ratio and safety outcomes for patients at one local institution. Three nursing units, providing different levels of patient care, were studied, looking at adverse events involving patients and what the patient to nurse ratio was during that time. The literature review supported lower patient to nurse ratios to deliver safe patient care. With nursing care critically impacting patient safety, it would be in the interest of the hospital administrator to staff their facility with a lower patient to nurse ratio as supported by the literature and previous studies. The results of this study, however, did not reveal an association. This particular hospital adheres to patient to nurse ratios supported by the American Nurses Association, providing patient care with a lower patient to nurse ratio than do some institutions.

Date of Award

Fall 2008

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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