A vaccine for COVID-19?

ABSTRACT

In Queensland, nurse-to-patient ratios were legislated and implemented in July 2016. Independent evaluation of this method tells us it is a valid methodology to accurately match nursing and midwifery resource to the real care needs of patients.10 And yet, due to DHBs' resistance and their slow, patchy implementation of CCDM, especially the FTE calculation component, nurses and midwives working in our public hospitaLs are still not working in safely resourced environments. International evidence tell us that acuity-based staffing is linked to decreased adverse events for patients, incLuding falls, infections, and pressure ulcers.12 The 2015 independent evaluation of the CCDM programme FTE calculation concluded that "the CCDM programme's calculation of estimated FTE requirements for DHB wards is based on a sound and appropriate methodology".10 Patient acuity data offers transparency that allows accurate calculations of how many nursing hours are needed at any given time, on any given ward, on any given shift, according to patients' real care needs. Nurse-to-patient ratios have saved lives in QLd.