UK ward design: Patient dependency, nursing workload, staffing and quality—An observational study
International Journal of Nursing StudiesPublished 14 November 2006
Keith Hurst
Citations70
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score2.82
SNIP3.21
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TL;DR
To improve nursing efficiency and effectiveness by capitalizing on the best ward design features, replicating Nightingale conditions by equalising occupancy, throughput and staffing and maximising nurses' substations could engender similar outcomes elsewhere.
Abstract
Racetrack wards have an edge over other ward designs. However, replicating Nightingale conditions by, for example, equalising occupancy, throughput and staffing and maximising nurses' substations, could engender similar outcomes elsewhere.
Keywords
Health ProfessionsEconomics, Econometrics and Finance
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