Announcing the latest CE course , “ Effortless Vigilance : Simplifying Environment of Care Rounds For Infection Preventionists ”
a statistically significant association between nurse staffing variable ( s ) and HAI rates . Use of nonpermanent staff was associated with increased rates of HAI in four studies . Three studies addressed infection control professional staffing with mixed results . Physician staffing was not found to be associated with patients ’ HAI risk ( n = 2 ). The methods employed and operational definitions used for both staffing and HAI varied ; despite this variability , trends were apparent . As the researchers cautioned at the time , “ To associate an adverse event , such as a HAI , with the quality of the care the patient receives from nurses , physicians , infection control professionals , and / or other healthcare personnel , researchers should make certain that the patient ’ s risk of developing complications is adjusted for and that both the staffing variables and the adverse events are defined and measured in a consistent manner .” The commonly used nurse staffing variables , Weinstein , et al . ( 2008 ) reported , include the actual number of hours of nursing care and the registered nurse hours as a percentage of all nursing hours , referred to as ‘ skill mix .’ Additionally , some researchers operationalized the level of nurse staffing by use of the number of full-time equivalents . According to Human Capital Theory , which is used in labor economics , other staffing variables that could impact outcomes include the type of employee contract ( e . g ., full-time vs . parttime and / or temporary employee ), absenteeism , use of overtime , and education / certification .
The Latest Comprehensive IP Staffing Review
One of the most comprehensive reviews was undertaken by Knighton , et al . ( 2024 ), which showed that there is significant variability in IP staffing in hospitals and non-acute settings . Although the ratio of IPs to inpatient beds has increased over time in hospitals due to the growing complexity of the IP role , the researchers say , is it reality or wishful thinking when the researchers also observe , “ With increasing responsibilities for the 21st century IP , the ratio of IP FTEs to beds is likely to continue increasing to accommodate the new perspective of preventing instead of controlling infections .”
This review by Knighton , et al . ( 2024 ) achieved the important task of advocating for an updated staffing metric that encompasses individualized recommendations based on facility-level needs assessment , which laid the groundwork for the staffing calculator that helps move away from a one-sizefits-all approach to staffing . After all , they observe , “ Each facility ’ s unique characteristics , such as patient population , services offered , and other risk factors may impact their staffing needs .”
“ The paper by Knighton and colleagues which I was a part of was an exercise in trying to understand comprehensively all that exists in the literature related to IP staffing and to understand how things have transitioned over time ,” Crapanzano-Sigafoos says . “ That exercise is really what built the foundation of the staffing calculator . One of the key findings of that
Being at the forefront of infection control and prevention is a unique responsibility and opportunity for nurses , and our study shows that hospital administrators should ensure adequate nurse staffing to provide the safest patient care .”
Mystified by EOC Rounding in the Hospital ?
Announcing the latest CE course , “ Effortless Vigilance : Simplifying Environment of Care Rounds For Infection Preventionists ”
This self-paced activity is presented in a fun and engaging online format . Earn 1 contact hour of nursing continuing education plus receive helpful hand-outs !
Awards 1 IPU for the Environment of Care domain
Presented by Missy Travis ,
MSN , RN , CIC , FAPIC