The impact of rationing nursing care on patient safety: a systematic review.

Izabella Uchmanowicz; Magdalena Lisiak; Marta Wleklik; Andrzej Maciej Pawlak; Agnieszka Zborowska; Bartłomiej Stańczykiewicz; Catherine Ross; Michał Czapla; Raúl Juárez-Vela

Review

The impact of rationing nursing care on patient safety: a systematic review.

January 24, 2024

Uchmanowicz I, Lisiak M, Wleklik M, et al. Med Sci Monit. 2024;30:e942031.

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Incomplete nursing care can decrease patient satisfaction and threaten patient safety. This systematic review including 15 studies found that rationing of nursing care (i.e., intentional withholding or delay in essential nursing care) adversely impacts patient safety, contributing to higher incidence of falls, medication errors, pressure injuries, and healthcare-associated infections. The authors of the review discuss several hospital characteristics (i.e., workload, staffing levels, experience) that contribute to rationing of nursing care.

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