This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Patient-to-nurse ratio impacts survival of cardiac arrest patients

Patients who experienced an in-hospital cardiac arrest had higher odds of survival in medical-surgical units with higher nurse staffing and better working conditions, according to recently published data.

“Adequate nurse staffing and good nurse work environments are associated with survival following an [in-hospital cardiac arrest] and are important to consider as factors to be modified in efforts to improve the survival of patients who experience cardiac arrest in the hospital. Nearly half of [in-hospital cardiac arrests] occur in medical-surgical units, which also have the most variable staffing levels and the most problematic work environments,” Matthew McHugh, PhD, JD, MPH, RN, associate director, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and colleagues wrote.

McHugh and colleagues analyzed data on 11,160 patients, aged 18 years and older, in 75 hospitals between 2005 and 2007 to assess the correlation between nurse staffing and work environment with survival rates among patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Results demonstrated a 5% lower likelihood of in-hospital cardiac arrest survival was associated with each additional patient per nurse on medical-surgical floors (OR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99).

Hospitals that had poor work environments were associated with a 16% lower chance of patients surviving in-hospital cardiac arrest to discharge (OR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.71-0.99), compared with patients who were treated in hospitals with better work conditions, according to the researchers.

McHugh and colleagues noted that nurse staffing accounts for more than 40% of inpatient care costs, which could make it difficult for many hospitals to improve nurse staffing.

“These results add to a large body of literature suggesting that outcomes are better when nurses have a more reasonable workload and work in good hospital work environments. Improving nurse working conditions holds promise for improving survival following [in-hospital cardiac arrest],” McHugh said in a press release. – by Casey Hower

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.