Boston medical centre study finds state-imposed ICU nurse staffing regulations didn't improve patient outcomes

Researchers at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found the 2014 Mass. law requiring a 1:1 or 2:1 patient-to-nurse ICU staffing ratio hasn't led to improved patient outcomes. The researchers found only modest increases in ICU nurse staffing ratios in Mass. before and after the mandate’s implementation, demonstrating a change from 1.38 patients per nurse to 1.28 patients per nurse. However, these increases weren't significantly higher than staffing trends in states without state-mandated ICU staffing regulations. The study also found risk of mortality and risk of complications in Mass.’s ICUs remained stable after the law’s implementation, with no significant difference in trends compared to out-of-state hospitals.