RESUMEN
Aim. To determine the nurse/patient ratios required to render safe; competent ICU nursing. Method. A patient classification system (CritScore) was used to compile an objective 3-month patient profile. The number (of full-time and agency staff) and the professional profiles of nursing staff allocated to the unit during this period were documented. Results. The majority of the patients were class 3 patients. While there was concordance between the total number of nurses present in relation to the number predicted by CritScore; the number of ICU-trained nurses was consistently below that ascertained by CritScore. This unit was staffed on average with more than 50 nonpermanent staff who were employed on a temporary basis via agencies. Conclusion. The number of nursing hands allocated is important; but even more so is the quality; or competence; of these hands. Nursing care without an acceptable level of competence in a critical care unit may be considered as a potentially harmful intrusion for the patient