RESUMO
AIM: To verify the association between the nurse staffing and the quality of nursing care, mediated by the care process, based on a hypothetical model, in Portuguese public hospitals. BACKGROUND: Nurse staffing influences health outcomes. Understaffing is associated with an increased risk for adverse events (AEs) and a reduction in the quality of care. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 55 Portuguese nurse managers. A path model was developed to analyse potential causal mediation effects on care quality. RESULTS: Nurse staffing (number and competencies) and teamwork indirectly influence the quality of care. This process is mediated by the response capacity, the use of new techniques and work methods and patient's surveillance capacity. The AEs occurrence also has a mediating role, being negatively associated with the quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: Optimizing nursing care safety and quality requires an adequate nurse staffing level, both in terms of number and competencies, as well as teamwork. Process components seem to play a mediating role in these relations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: These results deserve the attention of nursing management for investment in the nursing staff and in the care process, to improve quality and create value in health care.
