J Korean Acad Nurs Adm.  2020 Sep;26(4):354-364. 10.11111/jkana.2020.26.4.354.

The Effects of Long-term Care Hospitals’ Nurse Staffing Level on Patient Outcomes: Differences according to Region

• Hong KJ

• KMID: 2507517
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11111/jkana.2020.26.4.354

Abstract

Purpose
The aim of this study was to examine the differences in nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes in long-term care hospitals by region and to identity the effects of nurse staffing level and registered nurse proportion on patient outcomes.
Methods
A secondary analysis of national data that included general characteristics of hospitals and long-term care hospitals’ evaluation results from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Services was conducted, and 1,205 hospitals were selected.
Results
Results showed that the mean number of patients per nursing staff and registered nurse proportion were 4.27 and 0.43, respectively. The differences in long-term care hospitals’ evaluation results and nurse staffing levels according to region were significant. A logistic regression analysis showed that the number of patients per nursing staff affected the probability of the patient experiencing a decline in daily life activities, as well as a decline in the outcomes of patients who were non-dementia; registered nurse proportion affected the outcomes of patients with dementia.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that implementing policies to improve long-term care hospitals’ nurse staffing level and registered nurse proportion is important. Ensuring mandatory registered nurse staffing levels based on the severity of patients’ diagnoses is also necessary.

Keyword

Geographic distribution; Long term care; Nurse staffing; Patient outcome