The Importance of Nurse-to-Patient Ratios in Healthcare Settings

Running head: HEALTH SCIENCE
HEALTH SCIENCE
Name of the university:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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HEALTH SCIENCE
Introduction:
A research critique is a process of analysis of any research conducted focusing on the
study’s strengths and boundaries. Critiquing a study is a systematic procedure that can be
used to evaluate research studies and their results stated. The assignment will focus on
critiquing two selected qualitative research articles on the nursing shortage and the
importance of high number of nurse and patient ratio in a healthcare setting. Qualitative
research is a method of realistic inquiry focusing on the in-depth understanding of any social
issue within its natural situation. By the use of rational and statistical trials, the qualitative
researchers take in account multiple systems of survey for their study of social issues which
includes case study, biography, historical analysis, ethnography, discourse analysis,
phenomenology and grounded theory. In the assignment the PICOT QUESTION that has
been addressed is
When caring for acute care patients aging from 65 and above, does high nurse-to-
patient ratio (above 1:4) compared to low nurse-to-patient ratio (below 1:4) decrease or
increase quality of care and nursing errors over a 10-week time-frame using health
assessment tools?
Selected articles:
Article 1: The effect of nurse-to-patient ratios on nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in acute
specialist units: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Driscoll, A., Grant, M. J., Carroll, D., Dalton, S., Deaton, C., Jones, I., & Astin, F. (2017).
The Effect of Nurse-to-Patient Ratios on Nurse-Sensitive Patient Outcomes in Acute
Specialist Units: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. European Journal of
Cardiovascular Nursing, 17(1), 6-22. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1474515117721561

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HEALTH SCIENCE
Article 2: Nurse staffing and medication errors: cross sectional or longitudinal
relationships?
Mark, B. A., & Belyea, M. (2009). Nurse Staffing and Medication Errors: Cross Sectional or
Longitudinal Relationships? Research on Nursing and Health, 32(1), 18-30. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628558/
Discussion:
PICOT Question:
When caring for acute care patients aging from 65 and above, does high nurse-to-
patient ratio compared to low nurse-to-patient ratio decrease or increase quality of care
and nursing errors over a 10-week time-frame using health assessment tools?
Background of Study:
In article 1, Driscoll et al., (2017) states that the nurses play a critical role in the
establishment of a better high quality care in the acute healthcare settings. The researcher
recognizes studies that were conducted in the acute healthcare units, which conducted
examination of the association among the nurse staffing levels (NPRs) and the nurse-sensitive
patient results. In order to support the excellence of the systematic review the researcher
proposed a protocol which was based on the PRISMA report. The analysis established
information that an advanced level of nurse staffing in a healthcare setting is associated with
the decrease rate of the risk of mortality in any healthcare service. Driscoll systematic review
established that there is a great and effective link among the greater level of nursing staff and
the improved patient health outcomes (Driscoll et al., 2017). In every growth of individual
nurse, elderly patients were seen to be around 14% less susceptible to risk factors and
experiencing mortality in the healthcare services. The research question that was raised in the