This study examines the impact of nurse staffing on rural hospital performance improvement in the CMS/Premier Inc. Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration project. Higher registered nurse (RN) staffing hours per patient day are associated with higher scores on composite quality measures for pneumonia, heart failure, acute myocardial infarction and a hospital-wide composite score. The relationship between RN staffing and quality measures does not differ based on rural or urban location, the number of staffed beds, or medical school affiliation.

For more information, contact:
Ira Moscovice, PhD
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 612-624-8618
mosco001@umn.edu