A large and increasing number of studies report a relationship between low nurse staffing levels and adverse patient outcomes, including higher mortality rates. However, despite the volume of research undertaken, significant gaps in the evidence base remain. Is there enough evidence on nurse staffing and patient outcomes to develop ‘safe-staffing’ guidance? If not, what more needs to be done? This article summarises what is known, what is not known and what more we need to know about safe staffing to inform policy and practice.
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