Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between nursing workload and nurse-perceived patient adverse events.
Methods: A total of 1,816 nurses working in general inpatient units of 23 tertiary general hospitals in South Korea were surveyed, and collected data were analyzed through multilevel logistic regression analysis.
Results: Among variables related to nursing workload, the non-nursing task experience had an influence on all four types of patient adverse events. Nurses with non-nursing tasks experienced patient adverse events-falls [odds ratio (OR) = 1.31], nosocomial infections (OR = 1.23), pressure sores (OR = 1.16), and medication errors (OR = 1.23)-more often than occasionally. In addition, when the bed to nurse ratio was higher, nurses experienced cases of pressure sores more often (OR = 1.35). By contrast, nurses who said the nursing workforce is sufficient were less likely than others to experience cases of pressure sores (OR = 0.78). Hospitals with a relatively high proportion of nurses who perceived the nursing workforce to be sufficient showed a low rate of medication error (OR = 0.28).
Conclusion: The study suggested that the high level of nursing workload in South Korea increases the possibility of patient adverse events.
Keywords: non-nursing task; nursing workload; patient adverse event.