Better Staffing, Better Care: New Study Supports BC’s Ratios Rollout

A major new study examining acute care hospitals in British Columbia confirms what nurses have been saying for decades - better staffing saves lives, keeps nurses in the profession, and improves the quality of patient care.

The peer-reviewed article - Are minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios needed in hospitals? An observational study in British Columbia, Canada – was authored by Dr. Karen Lasater, Dr. Linda H. Aiken and their colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. It analyzed data from 58 BC hospitals, linking nurse survey responses to patient safety, mortality, and readmission rates.

“Given the variability in staffing, quality and patient outcomes across BC hospitals, the implementation of a minimum nurse-patient ratio policy has the potential to improve patient care safety and retention of nurses,” say the researchers.

They concluded that if hospitals across BC adhere to the minimum nurse-to-patient ratio implementation guidelines negotiated between BCNU and the province, they are likely to see improvements in outcomes for both patients and nurses.

The study found that hospitals with better nurse staffing have fewer deaths, fewer readmissions, and higher patient safety ratings. It also confirms that unsafe workloads are the number one reason nurses plan to leave their jobs - with 66.6 percent of those considering leaving citing inadequate staffing, followed by 61.9 percent for burnout and 50.2 percent for dissatisfaction with management.

“This study validates what BC nurses have been saying for years - minimum nurse-to-patient ratios save lives and keep nurses in the profession,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “It’s imperative that this work continues so we can deliver safer, higher-quality care for British Columbians and the nurses who care for them.”

Phase 1 of BC’s mandated nurse-to-patient ratios began rolling out in medical-surgical units this summer. BC is now the first province in Canada to establish province-wide minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.

“These research findings are an important and encouraging confirmation of the union’s work,” says BCNU CEO Jim Gould. “This is clear, independent validation that safe nurse-to-patient ratios will make care safer for patients and keep nurses in the profession. We look forward to working with the provincial government to ensure minimum nurse-to-patient ratios are implemented fully and successfully for the benefit of every patient in BC.”

Gear says the study confirms the importance of ratios and establishes a baseline to track progress as implementation continues. BCNU will continue working with government and health authorities to ensure ratios are met across all health-care settings, improving safety for patients and stability for the workforce.

To arrange an interview, contact BCNU Communications at media@bcnu.org.