A new study led by the University of Southampton has found that using temporary nursing staff to fill rotas only partially combats an increased risk of patient death associated with staff shortages. Researchers found that avoiding low nurse staffing levels lowers the risk of death among patients – particularly even when drafting in temporary registered nurses to maintain staffing levels. However, despite this, the risk of death remains elevated compared to when the ward is fully staffed by permanent nurses.
Findings from the study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (Wessex), are due to be published in the journal JAMA Network Open . The research team conducted an observational study on 185 wards across four acute hospital trusts in England between 2015 and 2020 – amounting to a total of over 600, 000 patient admissions. The anonymised participants were adults with an overnight stay, and nursing staff on inpatient wards.
The study found that for each day of low staffing among registered nurses, the risk of patient death increased by 7.9 percent from the norm. The figure for nursing support staff was similar at 7.
2 percent. However, this risk was partly, although not completely, mitigated by bringing in temporary staff. Increasing temporary registered nurses on wards by 10 percent was associated with an increased risk of death of 2.
3 percent – with no difference between using agency or hospital.