Patients undergoing major surgery i...

Patients undergoing major surgery in hospitals with fewer RN for patient than other hospitals roll on a higher risk of developing avoidable postoperative complications, according to a inquiry recently published in Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship.

escorted by researchers at the US Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, the cogitation shows that patients recovering from surgery in hospitals with lower RN-to-patient staffing ratios experience more cases of urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and thrombosis as well as pulmonary congestion and other lung-related problems

The study's authors argue that their findings keep possession of important implications for health care managers making staffing decisions and policy makers implementing hospital regulations. In an effort to be cost-effective, managers who decrease RN staffing to minimum of the same heights might unnecessarily increase the overall richnesss incurred both by patients and health care orders The authors suggest that when RN lack the time to teach patients, carefully monitor their condition, or make secure that they have complied with preventive measures, patients experience a greater number of adverse effects

C Kovner P J Gergen "Nurse staffing horizontals and adverse events following surgery in U hospitals," Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship 30 (Fourth Quarter 1998) 315-321

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