title: Effects of outsourced nursing on quality outcomes in long-term acute-care hospitals.
abstract: Use of outsourced nurses is often a stop-gap measure for unplanned vacancies in smaller healthcare facilities such as long-term acute-care hospitals (LTACHs). However, the relationship of utilization levels (low, medium, or high percentages) of nonemployees covering staff schedules often is perceived to have negative relationships with quality outcomes. To assess this issue, the authors discuss the outcomes of their national study of LTACH hospitals that indicated no relationship existed between variations in percentage of staffing by contracted nurses and selected outcomes in this post-acute-care setting.
authors.affiliation: Specialty Hospitals of Washington, 4601 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20032, USA. mraymond.alvarez@gmail.com
authors.forename: M Raymond
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burtner
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ledlow
authors.forename: Larry V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Fulton
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D020416:Outsourced Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce