Nurse staffing and outcomes for pulmonary lobectomy: Cost and mortality trade-offs.
Heart Lung 2020;
50:206-212. [PMID:
33302148 DOI:
10.1016/j.hrtlng.2020.12.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Nurse staffing impacts patient outcomes, but little is known about the relationship between nurse staffing and outcomes for lung cancer patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy.
OBJECTIVES
To examine the association between nurse staffing and outcomes following lobectomy for lung cancer.
METHODS
Patients (N = 16,994) with lung cancer between who underwent lobectomy between 2008-2011 were identified in the National Inpatient Sample. Nurse staffing was quantified using registered nurse full-time equivalents per adjusted patient days. Multivariable models were used to estimate the effect of RN FTEs on mortality, length of stay, and costs, controlling for covariates.
RESULTS
Patients treated at hospitals using 5.6 or more RN FTEs had shorter hospitals stays by 0.37 days (p = 0.008), had 36% lower odds of mortality (OR = 0.64, p = 0.014), but incurred $4,388 (p < 0.0001) in additional costs.
CONCLUSIONS
Hospital administrators face a troubling trade-off between costs and outcomes in decisions about nurse staffing mix for pulmonary lobectomy.
Collapse