What type of hospitals have better patient outcomes?

• A. Lower nurse-resourced hospitals
• B. Hospitals with high physician-to-patient ratios
• C. Higher nurse-resourced hospitals
• D. Teaching hospitals

Answer: (C)

Higher nurse resources in hospitals are linked to better patient outcomes because nurses are at the bedside continuously, enabling early detection of deterioration, timely administration of meds, effective prevention of infections, and thorough patient education. When there are more nurses per patient and a favorable skill mix, each patient receives closer monitoring, faster responses to changes, and better coordination of care across the care team. This leads to lower mortality, fewer adverse events such as falls or infections, shorter hospital stays, and fewer readmissions. In contrast, limited nurse staffing increases workload per nurse, raises the risk of missed care, and can delay interventions, which hurts outcomes. While having more physicians or being a teaching hospital can influence care in various ways, the most consistent and strongest link to improved outcomes is adequate nurse staffing and resources.