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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Main Authors: Christian Patry, Monika Schindler, Julia Reinhard, Steffen Hien, Süha Demirakca, Thomas Böhler, Thomas Schaible
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-03-01
Series:Pediatric Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/pr/article/view/5186
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spelling 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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