Nursing Practice 'Display staffing levels to show importance placed on safe care'

摘要

The debate around staffing levels is often hotly contested. Recent reports such as Francis, Keogh and Berwick, have reignited the passion felt by many in the profession about the need for safe staffing levels and raised debate over the most effective way to set establishment levels. At Salford Royal Foundation Trust (SRFT), we have embraced the concept of essential safe staffing levels based on research from Southampton University, King's College London and the National Nursing Research Unit. This research indicates the quality of outcome-based care decreases if the ratio of registered nurses to patients drops below one to eight; however, we view one to eight as the minimum.