Nursing personnel staffing in hospital services: an integrative literature review

Abstract

doi: 10.5216/ree.v15i2.18559 - http://dx.doi.org/10.5216/ree.v15i2.18559

ABSTRACT

The objective of this integrative literature review was to identify the methodology, parameters and/or instruments used for nursing personnel staffing in hospital health services, and to identify if the staff number is adequate for the demand of care required by the patients. Twenty-seven articles were selected, which met the inclusion criteria, based on the Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Database with the descriptor: organizational downsizing and the keyword nursing personnel downsizing in the years 2000 to 2012. Studies show that nurses know the personnel staffing methods, but they do not always follow it appropriately; the existing parameters and instruments are appropriate to perform the revered downsizing; there is a diversity of levels of complexity of patients and many fields of work presented staff shortage. The results indicate the need for a systematic use of staffing instruments.

Descriptors: Personnel Downsizing; Nursing; Nursing Staff, Hospital.