Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the patient and hospital characteristics related to nursing needs and nursing hours in acute hospital settings.
Background: To determine appropriate staffing levels, accumulating empirical data through direct observation and surveys reflecting the actual situation is necessary.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted direct observations of nurses in acute care hospitals from 1 May to 31 August 2020. Twenty-six hospitals in five cities participated, and 747 nursing personnel collected 1,681 patients' data while performing nursing activities. The data of 1,605 nurses were analysed using descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance and linear regression.
Results: Hospital size, admission day, patients' dependence level, high fall risk and disease diagnoses were variables associated with nursing needs (F = 73.49, P < .001) and nursing hours (F = 57.7, P < .001). Comparing the correlates of nursing needs and nursing hours revealed that, unlike nursing needs, nursing hours were not significantly associated with surgery and certain diagnoses.
Conclusion: This study confirmed the variables associated with nursing needs and nursing hours in acute hospitals; based on this, determining appropriate staffing levels, which is an important step in improving inpatients' health outcomes, is necessary.
Implications for nursing management: In acute hospitals, an increased number of nurse staffing should be employed based on the number of newly hospitalized patients, patients with high dependence levels and specific diagnoses, and those at high risk of falling.
Keywords: hospitals; nurses; patients.
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