Open AccessNurse Reports on Resource Adequacy in Hospitals that Care for Acutely Ill Children
Author(s) -
Cimiotti Jeannie P.,
Barton Sharon J.,
Chavanu Gorman Kathleen E.,
Sloane Douglas M.,
Aiken Linda H.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal for healthcare quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.374
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1945-1474
pISSN - 1062-2551
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-1474.2012.00212.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nursing , family medicine , medical emergency , emergency medicine
Despite the estimated 1.8 million children admitted to hospitals annually, little is known about the quality of care and the adequacy of resources in hospitals that care for acutely ill infants and children. Using survey data from 3,819 pediatric nurses working in 498 hospitals, we found that nursing resources vary significantly across different types of hospitals that care for children. Nurses working in a children's hospital within a hospital, and on a pediatric unit in a general hospital were more likely than nurses in freestanding children's hospitals to report inadequate nursing resources. We also found that inadequate nursing resources were associated with surveillance left undone and missed changes in patients’ condition. These findings have implications for the quality and safety of pediatric care.