On the Threshold of Safety: A Qualitative Exploration of Nurses' Perceptions of Factors Involved in Safe Staffing Levels in Emergency Departments

Emergency nurses perceive staffing to be inadequate, and therefore unsafe, because of the potential for poor patient outcomes, including missed or delayed care, missed deterioration (failure to rescue), and additional ED visits resulting from ineffective discharge teaching. Both absolute numbers of staff, as well as skill and experience mix, should be considered to provide staffing levels that promote optimal patient and nurse outcomes.