Relationships between Alternative Nurse Staffing Level Measurements and Nurses’ Perceptions of Nurse Staffing Level Adequacy, Fatigue, and Care Quality
Table 3
Nurse staffing level-related variables measured using various methods.
Category
Nurse-to-patient ratio
Work intensity
Demanded nursing hours
Number of patients per nurse per day (M ± SD)
Number of nurses worked per day (a, M ± SD)
Sum of work intensity (b, M ± SD)
Work intensity per nurse (a/b, M ± SD)
Demanded nursing hours per day (c, M ± SD)
Demanded nursing hours per day per nurse (c/a, M ± SD)
Number of days demanding over 8 nursing hours (n, %)
Overall (n = 168 days)
3.20 ± 0.76 (1.44–5.22)
10.30 ± 0.99 (8.00–13.00)
114.00 ± 55.18 (32.43–259.14)
11.07 ± 5.33 (3.60–26.88)
78.69 ± 24.01 (27.58–139.03)
7.63 ± 2.21 (3.06–13.70)
70 (41.67)
Weekday (n = 120 days)
3.25 ± 0.72 (1.64–5.00)
10.71 ± 0.81 (8.00–13.00)
120.35 ± 53.25 (50.69–259.14)
11.21 ± 4.83 (4.88–24.47)
83.48 ± 22.71 (38.70–139.03)
7.78 ± 2.03 (3.83–13.60)
56 (46.67)
Weekend (n = 48 days)
3.06 ± 0.84 (1.44–5.22)
9.25 ± 0.53 (8.00–11.00)
98.12 ± 57.24 (32.43–241.89)
10.70 ± 6.45 (3.60–26.88)
66.71 ± 23.18 (27.58–123.32)
7.25 ± 2.59 (3.06–13.70)
14 (29.17)
t or χ2 ()
1.53 (0.128)
11.48 (<0.001)
2.39 (0.002)
0.56 (0.573)
4.30 (<0.001)
1.41 (0.160)
4.32 (0.038)
M, mean; SD, standard deviation; χ2, chi square; , level of statistical significance. (2-tailed). (2-tailed).
