'Failure to Maintain': A theoretical proposition for a new quality indicator of nurse care rationing for complex older people in hospital

The research field of acute geriatrics can understand and act on the risk modification role of nurses, including controlling for nurse staffing and work environment variables in intervention studies. The research field of nurse sensitive outcomes should incorporate the different profile of complex older patients, by including age brackets and functional ability as variables in their studies. Clinically, nursing work environments can be designed to recognise the different profile of complex older patients by adapting practices to privilege mobility, hydration, nutrition, skin care and communication in the midst of acute care interventions.