Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China
Abstract Background Appropriate allocation of nursing staff is key to ensuring efficient nursing in hospitals, and is significantly correlated with patient safety, nursing quality, and nurse job satisfaction. However, there are few studies on nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of CO...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Nursing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00795-w |
| _version_ | 1819261203489226752 |
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| author | Hong-fei Ren Feng-jiao Chen Ling-xiao He Chang-qing Liu Ying-ying Liu Yu-jia Huang Hui Han Su Fu Ming-guang Zhang Yan Jiang |
| author_facet | Hong-fei Ren Feng-jiao Chen Ling-xiao He Chang-qing Liu Ying-ying Liu Yu-jia Huang Hui Han Su Fu Ming-guang Zhang Yan Jiang |
| author_sort | Hong-fei Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Appropriate allocation of nursing staff is key to ensuring efficient nursing in hospitals, and is significantly correlated with patient safety, nursing quality, and nurse job satisfaction. However, there are few studies on nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals globally. This study aims to better understand the nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals in China, and provide a theoretical basis for efficiently deploying first-line nurses in China and across the world in the future. Methods An online survey was conducted among the head nurses (n = 229) and nurses (n = 1378) in the isolation wards of 117 hospitals (selected by stratified sampling), using a self-reported human resource allocation questionnaire. Results The average bed-to-nurse ratios of different isolation wards were different (Z = 36.742, P = 0.000). The bed-to-nurse ratios of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, were 1:1.88, 1:0.56, and 1:0.45, respectively. The nurse work hours per shift in different isolation wards were also different (Z = 8.468, P = 0.014), with the specific values of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, being 5, 6, and 6 h, respectively. A correlation analysis showed that the average work hours per shift was proportional to the overtime work of nurses (rs = 0.146), the proportion of nurse practitioners was proportional to the overall utilization rate of nursing human resources in the wards (rs = 0.136), and the proportion of nurses with college degrees was proportional to teamwork (rs = 0.142). The proportion of nurses above grade 10 was inversely proportional to teamwork and psychological problems (rs = 0.135, rs = 0.203). The results of multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that the work hours of nurses per shift was the main factor affecting nurse satisfaction and that the proportion of nurses and the work hours of nurses per shift were both independent factors affecting the length of stay (LOS) of patients. Conclusion Hospitals in China have made good nursing workforce allocations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are certain shortcomings. Therefore, scientific and efficient nursing workforce allocation practice plans should be established to improve the ability of hospitals to deal with public health emergencies and are urgent problems that need to be addressed soon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T19:38:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b90a330a6efe4d8cb43113f695c7c308 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6955 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T19:38:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nursing |
| spelling | doaj.art-b90a330a6efe4d8cb43113f695c7c3082022-12-21T17:33:45ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552022-01-012111910.1186/s12912-021-00795-wNursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in ChinaHong-fei Ren0Feng-jiao Chen1Ling-xiao He2Chang-qing Liu3Ying-ying Liu4Yu-jia Huang5Hui Han6Su Fu7Ming-guang Zhang8Yan Jiang9West China School of Nursing, Sichuan UniversityHematology Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityTrauma Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityWest China School of Nursing, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityNeuro General Ward of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityNeuro General Ward of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityNeuro General Ward of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityNursing Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityAbstract Background Appropriate allocation of nursing staff is key to ensuring efficient nursing in hospitals, and is significantly correlated with patient safety, nursing quality, and nurse job satisfaction. However, there are few studies on nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals globally. This study aims to better understand the nursing workforce allocation in the isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals in China, and provide a theoretical basis for efficiently deploying first-line nurses in China and across the world in the future. Methods An online survey was conducted among the head nurses (n = 229) and nurses (n = 1378) in the isolation wards of 117 hospitals (selected by stratified sampling), using a self-reported human resource allocation questionnaire. Results The average bed-to-nurse ratios of different isolation wards were different (Z = 36.742, P = 0.000). The bed-to-nurse ratios of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, were 1:1.88, 1:0.56, and 1:0.45, respectively. The nurse work hours per shift in different isolation wards were also different (Z = 8.468, P = 0.014), with the specific values of the ICU, suspected COVID-19 cases ward, and confirmed COVID-19 cases ward, being 5, 6, and 6 h, respectively. A correlation analysis showed that the average work hours per shift was proportional to the overtime work of nurses (rs = 0.146), the proportion of nurse practitioners was proportional to the overall utilization rate of nursing human resources in the wards (rs = 0.136), and the proportion of nurses with college degrees was proportional to teamwork (rs = 0.142). The proportion of nurses above grade 10 was inversely proportional to teamwork and psychological problems (rs = 0.135, rs = 0.203). The results of multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that the work hours of nurses per shift was the main factor affecting nurse satisfaction and that the proportion of nurses and the work hours of nurses per shift were both independent factors affecting the length of stay (LOS) of patients. Conclusion Hospitals in China have made good nursing workforce allocations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are certain shortcomings. Therefore, scientific and efficient nursing workforce allocation practice plans should be established to improve the ability of hospitals to deal with public health emergencies and are urgent problems that need to be addressed soon.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00795-wBed-to-nurse ratioCOVID-19Designated hospitalNursing workforce allocationNurse work hours per shift |
| spellingShingle | Hong-fei Ren Feng-jiao Chen Ling-xiao He Chang-qing Liu Ying-ying Liu Yu-jia Huang Hui Han Su Fu Ming-guang Zhang Yan Jiang Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China BMC Nursing Bed-to-nurse ratio COVID-19 Designated hospital Nursing workforce allocation Nurse work hours per shift |
| title | Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China |
| title_full | Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China |
| title_fullStr | Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China |
| title_short | Nursing allocation in isolation wards of COVID-19 designated hospitals: a nationwide study in China |
| title_sort | nursing allocation in isolation wards of covid 19 designated hospitals a nationwide study in china |
| topic | Bed-to-nurse ratio COVID-19 Designated hospital Nursing workforce allocation Nurse work hours per shift |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00795-w |
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