More data that nurse--patient ratios make a difference.(Nevada State Legislative Issues)

In a recent study of survival in out of hospital cardiac arrest many patient factors were associated with mortality, but only one hospital factor was associated with increased survival--nurse-patient ratio!

In their study, Liu, et al. found that if the nurse caring for the cardiac arrest patient had one or fewer patients (two nurses, one patient) that the patient was 1.5 times more likely to survive.

In a previous study, Perberdy, et al. found that survival from cardiac arrest was worse on nights and on weekends. They concluded that mortality increased as staffing levels decreased.

Nurse staffing is important! Find out how you can become involved and protect your patients by visiting the ANA's Safe Staffing Saves Lives website: http://www.safestaffingsaveslives.org.

From:

Liu JM et al. (2008). Hospital variability of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. Prehosp Emerg Care; 12:339.

Perberdy, M.A. et al. (2008). Survival from in-hospital cardiac arrest during

David W. Woodruff, MSN, RN-BC, CNS, CEN www.Ed4Nurses.com reprinted with permission

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