Table 3.
Nurse staffing level-related variables measured using various methods.
| Category | Nurse-to-patient ratio | Work intensity | Demanded nursing hours | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients per nurse per day (M ± SD) | Number of nurses worked per day (a, M ± SD) | Sum of work intensity (b, M ± SD) | Work intensity per nurse (a/b, M ± SD) | Demanded nursing hours per day (c, M ± SD) | Demanded nursing hours per day per nurse (c/a, M ± SD) | Number of days demanding over 8 nursing hours (n, %) | |
| Overall (n = 168 days) | 3.20 ± 0.76 (1.44–5.22) | 10.30 ± 0.99 (8.00–13.00) | 114.00 ± 55.18 (32.43–259.14) | 11.07 ± 5.33 (3.60–26.88) | 78.69 ± 24.01 (27.58–139.03) | 7.63 ± 2.21 (3.06–13.70) | 70 (41.67) |
| Weekday (n = 120 days) | 3.25 ± 0.72 (1.64–5.00) | 10.71 ± 0.81 (8.00–13.00) | 120.35 ± 53.25 (50.69–259.14) | 11.21 ± 4.83 (4.88–24.47) | 83.48 ± 22.71 (38.70–139.03) | 7.78 ± 2.03 (3.83–13.60) | 56 (46.67) |
| Weekend (n = 48 days) | 3.06 ± 0.84 (1.44–5.22) | 9.25 ± 0.53 (8.00–11.00) | 98.12 ± 57.24 (32.43–241.89) | 10.70 ± 6.45 (3.60–26.88) | 66.71 ± 23.18 (27.58–123.32) | 7.25 ± 2.59 (3.06–13.70) | 14 (29.17) |
| t or χ2 (p) | 1.53 (0.128) | 11.48 (<0.001∗∗) | 2.39 (0.002∗∗) | 0.56 (0.573) | 4.30 (<0.001∗∗) | 1.41 (0.160) | 4.32 (0.038∗) |
M, mean; SD, standard deviation; χ2, chi square; p, level of statistical significance. ∗ p < 0.05 (2-tailed). ∗∗p < 0.01 (2-tailed).