Changes in pharmacy, nursing, and total personnel staffing in U.S. hospitals, 1989-1998

Pharmacy, nursing, and total hospital personnel inpatient staffing in U.S. medical-surgical hospitals for 1989, 1992, 1995, and 1998 was studied. Nursing and total personnel staffing data were obtained from the American Hospital Association, and pharmacy personnel data were obtained from the National Clinical Pharmacy Services database. Between 1989 and 1998, mean +/- S.D. registered-nurse staffing per 100 occupied beds increased from 124.46 +/- 92.24 to 196.57 +/- 131.92, or 57.94%. Pharmacist staffing per 100 occupied beds increased from 6.47 +/- 3.01 to 7.95 +/- 4.88, or 22.87%. The total number of registered nurses increased by 126,960 (15.78%), and the total number of pharmacists declined by 320 (0.72%). The increase in pharmacist staffing per 100 occupied beds was due almost entirely to decreases in hospital census between 1989 and 1998. Total hospital personnel staffing per 100 occupied beds and the absolute number of hospital employees increased at much higher rates (55.2% and 12.95%, respectively) than pharmacist staffing. Pharmacy technician staffing per 100 occupied beds increased by 42.96%, and pharmacy clerk staffing increased by 25.37%. Between 1989 and 1998, pharmacist staffing in U.S. medical-surgical hospitals increased at less than half the rates for registered nurses and total hospital personnel.