Cochrane · systematic review · CD007019

Hospital nurse‐staffing models and patient‐ and staff‐related outcomes

Butler, M, Schultz, TJ, Halligan, P, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2019 · Cochrane Library

Effective Practice and Organisation of Care2 versionsAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
28
current version
GRADE rated
10
No studies
18
Included studies
NR
No studies 18 · 64.3%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 9 · 32.1%Low 1 · 3.6%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Show all 2 versions

The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce versus usual staffing

Population: medical patients and patients with cancer, asthma, diabetes, heart failure and chronic illness
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Nursing‐staff turnover
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient mortality
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted1358 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias
Patient readmissions
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted2995 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness
Patient attendances at the ED
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted5 studies · 2274 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness
Length of stay
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted907 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness
Patients with pressure ulcers
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted753 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness
Costs
The introduction of advanced or specialist nurses to the nursing workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted617 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness

The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce versus usual staffing

Population: patients admitted to a cardiovascular surgery/urology/ophthalmology unit, a kidney transplant/plastic surgery unit, an oncology unit, or an orthopaedic surgery unit
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Nursing‐staff turnover
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient mortality
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient readmissions
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient attendances at the ED
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Length of stay
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patients with pressure ulcers
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Costs
The introduction of nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to the hospital workforce vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted6769 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias

Primary nursing compared to usual/team/functional nursing

Population: nurses working on medical or long‐term psychiatric units
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Nursing‐staff turnover
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extracted464 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Patient mortality
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient readmissions
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient attendances at the ED
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Length of stay
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patients with pressure ulcers
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Costs
Primary nursing vs usual/team/functional nursing
no estimate extracted138 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision

Self‐staffing versus usual staffing

Population: nurses working on acute care, intensive care or medical care units
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Nursing‐staff turnover
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extracted674 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias
Patient mortality
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient readmissions
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patient attendances at the ED
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Length of stay
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Patients with pressure ulcers
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Costs
Self‐staffing vs usual staffing
no estimate extractedNRNo studies