Abstract
This study aimed at verifying the effects of differences in patient-to-nurse staffing ratios on nurses. In total, 868 nurses were investigated in terms of peripheral tasks implemented, the Nursing Job Stressor Scale (NJSS), the self-Diagnosis Checklist for Workers' Accumulated Fatigue, and intention to continue working. Data was compared between the 7 : 1 and 10:１ groups and multiple regression analysis was conducted using each scale as the criterion variable and the patient-to-nurse staffing ratios as the explanatory variable. The results showed that compared to the 10 : 1 group, the 7 : 1 group had fewer transfer tasks among peripheral tasks, as well as significantly lower scores for "human environment at work" and "quantitative workload" on the NJSS as well as "assessment of subjective symptoms" on the accumulated fatigue scale. As for intention to continue working, the proportion of nurses who viewed their hospital as a good place to work was significantly higher in the 7 : 1 group. Multiple regression analysis showed that patient-to-nurse staffing ratios had a slight effect on intention to continue working. These results indicate that the characteristics of hospitals capable of implementing a 7 : 1 patient-to-nurse staffing ratio influence the nurses' work environment and the nurses themselves.
