Avoidable deaths during COVID-19 associated with chronic hospital nurse understaffing
A new first-of-its-kind study from Penn Nursing shows that individuals with COVID-19 were more likely to die in hospitals that were chronically understaffed before the pandemic.
In a new study, researchers at Penn’s School of Nursing find that individuals with COVID-19 were more likely to die in hospitals that were chronically understaffed before the pandemic. This study, published in International Journal of Nursing Studies, is one of the first to document the continuing public health dangers of permitting so many U.S. hospitals to ration nursing care by understaffing nursing services.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) at Penn Nursing explains why rates of COVID-19 mortality varied across U.S. hospitals. “In 2020, roughly one in three individuals who were hospitalized with COVID-19 died within 30-days of admission. Our study found that individuals’ likelihood of surviving was related to hospitals’ investments in nursing services prior to the pandemic—in terms of hiring sufficient numbers of RNs, employing nurses with bachelor’s educational preparation, and sustaining favorable work environments,” says lead-author, Karen Lasater,the Jessie M. Scott Term Chair in Nursing and Health Policy.
The results of the study find that patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospitals with better nurse staffing prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to survive. Patients in hospitals with higher proportions of bachelor's-prepared registered nurses had 8% lower odds of dying. And more favorable nurse work environments and Magnet designated hospitals were also associated with lower odds of dying.
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