Measuring direct nursing cost per patient in the acute care setting.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to measure the variability of direct nursing cost for similar patients and to examine the characteristics of nurses assigned to different types of patients.


BACKGROUND
There is no standard method for measuring direct nursing cost by patient.


METHODS
Deidentified data were collected from 3 databases for patients admitted from January 2010 through December 2012 on 1 medical/surgical unit in a large Magnet hospital. Direct nursing care time and costs were calculated from the nurse-patient assignment.


RESULTS
Variability in nursing intensity (0.36-13 hours) and cost per patient day ($132-$1,455) was significant for similar patients. Higher cost nurses were not assigned sicker patients (F3, 3029 = 87.09, P < .001, R = 0.124). Mean (SD) nursing direct cost per day was $96.48 ($55.73).


CONCLUSIONS
Standard measurement of nursing cost per patient could be benchmarked across hospitals and inform nursing administration care delivery decisions.
Author Affiliations: Senior Director (Dr Jenkins), VHA, Inc, Irving, Texas; Professor, Director of PhD Program and Senior Scientist (Dr Welton), University of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora.
Peggy
P
Jenkins
John
J
Welton
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004180:Direct Service Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004471:Economics, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult