Pro-judge study: Nurses' professional judgement in nurse staffing systems

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Workforce Studies
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Adequate nurse staffing is crucial for patient care and an international policy priority.
• Existing workforce planning methodologies highlight the importance of nurses' professional judgment.
• There is a need for theoretically informed research to understand this contribution to decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To better understand the role of nurses' professional judgment in nurse staffing systems.
• To make visible the knowledge and skills underpinning professional judgment in staffing decisions.
• To provide a conceptual language for articulating nurses' contributions to staffing.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative comparative case study design.
• Data collection through individual interviews, meeting observations, and document analysis.
• Informed by science and technology studies and practice theories.

Main Results:

• The study will identify and articulate the tacit knowledge and skills nurses use in staffing decisions.
• It will provide insights into the practical application of professional judgment in diverse healthcare settings.
• The research will leverage experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic and cross-national comparisons.

Conclusions:

• Findings will inform the development of evidence-based nurse education and professional development programs.
• The study will support the creation of nurse-led decision support tools to enhance professional judgment.
• It aims to generate broader insights into the effectiveness of nurse staffing systems in practice.