title: Staffing matters-every shift: data from the Military Nursing Outcomes Database can be used to demonstrate that the right number and mix of nurses prevent errors.
abstract: Data from the Military Nursing Outcomes Database (MilNOD) project demonstrate that inadequately staffed shifts can increase the likelihood of adverse events, such as falls with injury, medication errors, and needlestick injuries to nurses. Such evidence can be used to show that it takes not only the right number of nursing staff on every shift to ensure safe patient care, but also the right mix of expertise and experience. Based on findings from the MilNOD project, the authors present realistic scenarios of common dilemmas hospitals face in nurse staffing, illustrating the potential hazards for patients and nurses alike.
authors.affiliation: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences USUHS, Graduate School of Nursing, Bethesda, MD, USA. gordon.west@us.army.mil
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Patrician
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Loan
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008888:Military Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload