title: Nursing care quality: comparison of unit-hired, hospital float pool, and agency nurses.
abstract: As fiscal constraints and hospital downsizing become driving forces in the health care arena, nurse administrators are challenged to satisfy fluctuating staffing needs while ensuring high-quality care. Hospital in-house nurses and agency nurses are two solutions often used to supplement unit staffing. The article reports a study that examined the quality of care administered on one unit by unit-hired, float pool, and agency nurses through a comparison of the groups' documentation on nine clinical quality indicators. Findings suggested significant differences among the three groups on these indicators. Implications for nurse administrators are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Cardic Care Unit, University of North Carolina Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strzalka
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Havens
mesh_terms: D003284:Contract Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009731:Nursing Audit; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards*; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care