Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Nurse staffing in Portuguese public hospitals
Teresa Margarida Almeida Neves1, Pedro Miguel Santos Dinis Parreira1, Victor José Lopes Rodrigues2
1Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA:E), Nursing School of Coimbra (ESEnfC), Coimbra, Portugal.
Aim:
This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of nurse staffing in hospital settings in central and northern Portugal.
Background:
Nurse staffing is a critical factor for the quality and safety of health care and is still an understudied topic in Portugal.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 850 nurses from 12 public hospitals in the central and northern regions of Portugal.
Results:
Nurse staffing in these hospital units is insufficient, especially in internal medicine units and central hospitals. Nurses' perceptions are in line with the objective data.
Conclusions:
The shortage of nurses is a horizontal issue that is especially serious in internal medicine units and central hospitals and a potential threat to the quality of care.
Implications For Nursing Management:
The results stress the need for an urgent leadership intervention in nurse staffing levels in the hospitals analysed in this study. Contextual knowledge about nurse staffing is essential for decision-making and supporting health and human resource management policies.
Related Concept Videos
Current Trends in Nursing I
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities III
Cultivating a culture of collaboration and mutual respect among nurses transcends mere enhancement...
Hospitals-I
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities II
Communication between nurses and...
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities I
The legal responsibilities of a nurse regarding informed consent include the following:
Hospitals-II
Nurses that work in...

