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Study: Minimum nurse staffing ratios help

April 20, 2010

A study on the impact of California's state-mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that there were lower mortality rates among patients and less burnout among nurses. The study also found that 40% of California nurses reported increased use of supplemental nurses from agencies.

The survey results were announced today by the California Nurses Association.

The study included data from 22,336 hospital staff nurses in California and two states without state-mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratios legislation -- Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"California hospital nurses cared for one less patient on average than nurses in the other states and two fewer patients on medical and surgical units. Lower ratios are associated with significantly lower mortality. When nurses' workloads were in line with California-mandated ratios in all three states, nurses' burnout and job dissatisfaction were lower, and nurses reported consistently better quality of care," according to the survey.

With the same nurse ratios as California, New Jersey would have had 13.9% fewer surgical deaths, and Pennsylvania would have had 10.6% fewer surgical deaths, according to the study.

To see the study, click here.