The Nursing Shortage and its Impact on Patient Care

by Janina Mariel Reyes

Submitted : Spring 2021

This project is an analysis of the relationship between the shortage of nurses and quality of patient care. Data for employment rate and mortality rate were gathered from 2018 for each state in the United States. The correlation between the two variables was displayed using a graph, which produced a weak, positive trend line. Therefore, a second analysis was done by using the concept of probability and counting combinations. The probability of zero, one, two, three, four, and five patients dying out of five was found to represent the 1:5 nurse-to-patient ratio. The probability was also used to calculate the probability of zero, one, two three, four, five, six, and seven patients dying out of seven to represent the 1:7 nurse-to-patient ratio. The findings of the study were inconclusive, but potential recommendations were suggested for future analysis.

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