title: Baccalaureate education in nursing and patient outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the effects of registered nurse (RN) education by determining whether nurse-sensitive patient outcomes were better in hospitals with a higher proportion of RNs with baccalaureate degrees.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Future of Nursing report recommends increasing the percentage of RNs with baccalaureate degrees from 50% to 80% by 2020. Research has linked RN education levels to hospital mortality rates but not with other nurse-sensitive outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study that, with the use of data from 21 University HealthSystem Consortium hospitals, analyzed the association between RN education and patient outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety and quality of care indicators), controlling for nurse staffing and hospital characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospitals with a higher percentage of RNs with baccalaureate or higher degrees had lower congestive heart failure mortality, decubitus ulcers, failure to rescue, and postoperative deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism and shorter length of stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recommendation of the Future of Nursing report to increase RN education levels is supported by these findings.
authors: School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Mary.Blegen@nursing.ucsf.edu
authors: Mary A
authors: MA
authors: Blegen
authors: Colleen J
authors: CJ
authors: Goode
authors: Shin Hye
authors: SH
authors: Park
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Vaughn
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Spetz
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing