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Study links nurse staffing to infection rates in ICU

Infection Control Monitor, August 31, 2007

A study found that understaffing of registered nurses in hospital intensive care units increases the risk of late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)  for patients. Researchers, who published their findings in the July issue of Critical Care, hypothesized that increased workload results in noncompliance with basic hygiene measures and infection control recommendations.

The study is the second in three months to link low ICU staffing to hospital infections, and the fourth this year to link poor registered nurse-to-patient ratios to poor patient outcomes, the Massachusetts Nurses Association said in a release. "Time constraints can increase the probability of error by creating a busy, stressful environment with distractions and interruptions, leading to low compliance hand hygiene recommendations and isolation precautions, or inadequate care for the ventilator patient," researchers wrote.

Go to www.massnurses.org/news for a copy of the study.

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