Nurses’ Staffing Ratios, Patient Care Outcomes: A Basis for Policy Guideline Recommendations in A Provincial Hospital in Cavite

Quality care and patient safety are dependent on nurses but many provincial hospitals are faced with staffing shortages, increased workloads and increasing demands for services. These problems can influence nurses’ work and care of patients. The study concentrated on the nurse staffing ratios, patient care outcomes, and policy guidelines in a provincial hospital in Cavite. It described the demographic and professional profile of the nurse-participants, evaluated their perceptions regarding staffing ratios, identified patient care outcomes, determined differences in profile variables and examined the relationship between staffing ratios and patient care outcomes. Quantitative descriptive-correlational research was used. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 103 staff nurses. Statistical treatment used frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson product-moment correlation. Nurses reported inadequate staffing ratios, especially in relation to the number of nurses on duty, timeliness of nursing tasks and patient monitoring. The most common patient care outcomes were missed nursing care, falls and skin breakdown. The unit assignment influenced the staffing perceptions. Demographic and professional variables were associated with selected patient care outcome measures. Adequate staffing significantly decreased medication errors, patient falls, skin breakdown, missed nursing care, and prolonged hospital stays. The study found that having enough nurses is a guarantee of patient safety and quality care. It recommends improving patient outcomes and health care in provincial hospitals through strengthened staffing policies, equitable workforce distribution, and institutional support systems.