A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit
Recently, new staffing rules for neonatal nurses in intensive care units (ICU) were issued in Germany, using categories of care of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine as blueprint. Neonates on intensive care require a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:1, on intensive surveillance (high dependenc...
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doaj-e9391531253840c8a66d9457d6a05b562021-01-02T14:54:05ZengMDPI AGPediatric Reports2036-749X2036-75032014-03-016110.4081/pr.2014.51862767A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unitChristian Patry0Monika Schindler1Julia Reinhard2Steffen Hien3Süha Demirakca4Thomas Böhler5Thomas Schaible6Department of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimDepartment of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimDepartment of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimDepartment of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimDepartment of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimMedical Service of Statutory Health Insurance in Baden-Württemberg, Karlsruhe; Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Medical Faculty at Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimDepartment of Neonatology, University Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, MannheimRecently, new staffing rules for neonatal nurses in intensive care units (ICU) were issued in Germany, using categories of care of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine as blueprint. Neonates on intensive care require a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:1, on intensive surveillance (high dependency care) of 1:2. No requirements exist for special care, transitional care, and pediatric ICU patients. Using these rules, nursing staff requirement was calculated over a period of 31 consecutive days once a day in a combined pediatric and neonatal ICU of a metropolitan academic medical center in south-west Germany. Each day, 18.9±0.98 patients (mean±standard deviation) were assessed (14.26±1.21 neonatal, 4.65±0.98 pediatric). Among neonates, 9.94±2.56 received intensive therapy, 3.77±1.85 intensive surveillance, and 0.65±0.71 special care. Average nursing staff requirement was 12.10±1.81 full time equivalents (FTE) per shift. Considering additional pediatric patients in the ICU and actual nursing staff availability (8.97±0.87 FTE per shift), this ICU seems understaffed.http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/pr/article/view/5186neonatology, categories of care, nurse-to-patient ratio, German Federal Joint Commission, pediatric intensive care unit |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Christian Patry Monika Schindler Julia Reinhard Steffen Hien Süha Demirakca Thomas Böhler Thomas Schaible |
spellingShingle |
Christian Patry Monika Schindler Julia Reinhard Steffen Hien Süha Demirakca Thomas Böhler Thomas Schaible A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit Pediatric Reports neonatology, categories of care, nurse-to-patient ratio, German Federal Joint Commission, pediatric intensive care unit |
author_facet |
Christian Patry Monika Schindler Julia Reinhard Steffen Hien Süha Demirakca Thomas Böhler Thomas Schaible |
author_sort |
Christian Patry |
title |
A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit |
title_short |
A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit |
title_full |
A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit |
title_fullStr |
A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit |
title_full_unstemmed |
A gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a German intensive care unit |
title_sort |
gap between need and reality: neonatal nursing staff requirements on a german intensive care unit |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Pediatric Reports |
issn |
2036-749X 2036-7503 |
publishDate |
2014-03-01 |
description |
Recently, new staffing rules for neonatal nurses in intensive care units (ICU) were issued in Germany, using categories of care of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine as blueprint. Neonates on intensive care require a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:1, on intensive surveillance (high dependency care) of 1:2. No requirements exist for special care, transitional care, and pediatric ICU patients. Using these rules, nursing staff requirement was calculated over a period of 31 consecutive days once a day in a combined pediatric and neonatal ICU of a metropolitan academic medical center in south-west Germany. Each day, 18.9±0.98 patients (mean±standard deviation) were assessed (14.26±1.21 neonatal, 4.65±0.98 pediatric). Among neonates, 9.94±2.56 received intensive therapy, 3.77±1.85 intensive surveillance, and 0.65±0.71 special care. Average nursing staff requirement was 12.10±1.81 full time equivalents (FTE) per shift. Considering additional pediatric patients in the ICU and actual nursing staff availability (8.97±0.87 FTE per shift), this ICU seems understaffed. |
topic |
neonatology, categories of care, nurse-to-patient ratio, German Federal Joint Commission, pediatric intensive care unit |
url |
http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/pr/article/view/5186 |
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