Decision making for nurse staffing: Canadian perspectives

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Policy
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The effectiveness of current nurse staffing determination methods is largely unknown.
• There is a lack of consensus regarding nurse staffing decision-making processes in Canada.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurse staffing decision-making processes in Canada.
• To investigate supports for nurses, experienced nursing workload, and perceptions of care quality and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploration of nurse staffing decision-making.
• Analysis of current methods including frameworks, nurse-to-patient ratios, workload systems, and informal approaches.

Main Results:

• Multiple nurse staffing decision-making methods are employed in Canada.
• Key themes include staffing principles, workload measurement systems, nurse-to-patient ratios, and the need for evidence integration.

Conclusions:

• Evidence-based approaches are crucial for effective nurse staffing.
• Policy and practice changes are needed to optimize nursing workload and improve patient outcomes.