TABLE 3.
Nurse Staffing Practices by Type of Nursing Units and Shifts
| M (SD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Staffing Practices | Medical or Surgical Units | ICUs | All Units |
| Night shifts | |||
| Total number of shifts (n) | 53,026 | 15,743 | 68,769 |
| Understaffed* [n (%)] | 6530 (12.3) | 2847 (18.1) | 9377 (13.7) |
| Non-RN skill mix† | 27.8 (15.1) | 12.5 (10.7) | 24.3 (15.6) |
| Education mix‡ | 31.1 (28.1) | 56.4 (21.3) | 36.9 (28.7) |
| RN collective experience§ | 11.1 (6.4) | 11.6 (4.7) | 11.2 (6.1) |
| Day shifts | |||
| Total number of shifts (n) | 53,570 | 15,773 | 69,343 |
| Understaffed [n (%)] | 15,134 (28.2) | 5128 (32.5) | 20,262 (29,2) |
| Non-RN skill mix | 35.9 (11.0) | 19.8 (6.7) | 32.2 (12.2) |
| Education mix | 40.4 (23.6) | 59.0 (18.7) | 44.7 (23.9) |
| RN collective experience | 10.4 (5.2) | 11.4 (4.0) | 10.6 (5.0) |
| Evening shifts | |||
| Total number of shifts (n) | 53,475 | 15,745 | 69,220 |
| Understaffed [n (%)] | 11,862 (22.2) | 3222 (20.5) | 15,084 (21.8) |
| Non-RN skill mix | 29.5 (11.4) | 17.0 (6.7) | 26.6 (11.7) |
| Education mix | 34.2 (22.5) | 52.0 (17.6) | 38.2 (22.7) |
| RN collective experience | 10.2 (5.0) | 11.7 (4.4) | 10.6 (4.9) |
| All shifts | |||
| Total number of shifts (n) | 160,071 | 47,261 | 207,332 |
| Understaffed [n (%)] | 33,526 (20.9) | 11,197 (23.7) | 44,723 (21.6) |
| Non-RN skill mix | 31.1 (13.1) | 16.4 (8.8) | 27.7 (13.7) |
| Education mix | 35.3 (25.2) | 55.8 (19.5) | 40.0 (25.5) |
| RN collective experience | 10.6 (5.6) | 11.6 (4.3) | 10.8 (5.4) |
*Shifts with an observed number of RNs’ worked hours at least 8 hours below the expected unit-shift value according to patient census (see the “Registered nurse understaffing” in the Methods section for details).
†Proportion of non-RNs’ worked hours among all nursing staff’s worked hours for each unit-shift, represented in percent.
‡Proportion of baccalaureate-prepared RNs’ worked hours among all RNs’ worked hours for each unit-shift, represented in percent.
§Mean number of years of experience held by all RNs who reported worked hours for each unit-shift, represented in year.
ICU indicates intensive care unit; RN, registered nurse.