Nurse staffing in Portuguese public hospitals

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of nurse staffing in hospital settings in central and northern Portugal.

Background: Nurse staffing is a critical factor for the quality and safety of health care and is still an understudied topic in Portugal.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 850 nurses from 12 public hospitals in the central and northern regions of Portugal.

Results: Nurse staffing in these hospital units is insufficient, especially in internal medicine units and central hospitals. Nurses' perceptions are in line with the objective data.

Conclusions: The shortage of nurses is a horizontal issue that is especially serious in internal medicine units and central hospitals and a potential threat to the quality of care.

Implications for nursing management: The results stress the need for an urgent leadership intervention in nurse staffing levels in the hospitals analysed in this study. Contextual knowledge about nurse staffing is essential for decision-making and supporting health and human resource management policies.

Keywords: health policy; hospitals; nursing staff; patient safety; professional competence.