J Korean Clin Nurs Res.  2017 Apr;23(1):64-72. 10.22650/JKCNR.2017.23.1.64.

Changes in Nurse Staffing Grades in General Wards and Adult and Neonatal Intensive Care Units

• Hong KJ
• Cho SH

• KMID: 2397724
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22650/JKCNR.2017.23.1.64

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to explore the distributions of nurse staffing grades and to report changes in staffing grades in general wards and adult and neonatal intensive care units(ICUs) by hospital type and location.
METHODS
Data collected from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service were analyzed. Nurse staffing was categorized from grades 1 to 6 or 7 for general wards, 1 to 9 for adult ICUs, and 1 to 4 for neonatal ICUs based on the nurse-to-bed ratio.
RESULTS
The staffing grade for the general wards improved during 2008-2016 in 69.8% of the tertiary hospitals, 58.5% of the general hospitals, and 31.7% of the non-general hospitals. The adult ICUs at tertiary hospitals exhibited a greater improvement in staffing grades (48.8%) than did those of general hospitals (44.2%) during 2008-2015. Tertiary hospitals in non-capital regions showed a greater improvement than those in the capital region. The majority of neonatal ICUs (67.1%) had no change in the staffing grade during 2008-2015.
CONCLUSION
Improvements in nurse staffing differed by hospital type and location. Government policies to improve nurse staffing in non-tertiary hospitals and those in non-capital regions are required to reduce variations in nurse staffing.

Keyword

Nurse; Inpatient Nursing Fees; Staffing; General Ward; Intensive Care Unit

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Hospitals, General
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Insurance, Health
Intensive Care Units
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
Intensive Care, Neonatal*
Patients' Rooms*
Tertiary Care Centers