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Patient care staffing levels and facility characteristics in U.S. hemodialysis facilities.

ABSTRACT: Higher numbers of registered nurses (RNs) per patient have been associated with improved patient outcomes in acute-care facilities. Variation in and associations of patient care staffing levels and hemodialysis facility characteristics have not been examined previously.Cross-sectional study using Poisson regression to examine associations between patient care staffing levels and hemodialysis facility characteristics.4,800 US hemodialysis facilities in the 2009 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) End-Stage Renal Disease Annual Facility Survey (CMS-2744 form).Facility characteristics, including profit status, freestanding status, chain affiliation, and geographic region, adjusted for facility size, capacity, functional type, and urbanicity.Patient care staffing levels, including ratios of RNs, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), patient care technicians (PCTs), composite staff (RN + LPN + PCT), social workers, and dietitians to in-center hemodialysis patients.After adjusting for background facility characteristics, ratios of RNs and LPNs to patients were 35% (P < 0.001) and 42% (P < 0.001) lower, respectively, but the PCT to patient ratio was 16% (P < 0.001) higher in for-profit than nonprofit facilities (rate ratios of 0.65 [95% CI, 0.63-0.68], 0.58 [95% CI, 0.51-0.65], and 1.16 [95% CI, 1.12-1.19], respectively). Regionally, compared to the Northeast, the adjusted RN to patient ratio was 14% (P < 0.001) lower in the Midwest, 25% (P < 0.001) lower in the South, and 18% (P < 0.001) lower in the West. Even after additional adjustments, the large for-profit chains had significantly lower RN and LPN to patient ratios than the largest nonprofit chain, but a significantly higher PCT to patient ratio. Overall composite staffing levels also were lower in for-profit and chain-affiliated facilities. The patterns hold when hospital-based units were excluded.Nursing hours were not available. Two part-time staff were counted as one full-time equivalent, which may not always be accurate.The significant variation in patient care staffing levels and its associations with facility characteristics warrants inclusion in future large-scale hemodialysis outcomes studies. End-stage renal disease networks and hemodialysis facilities should attend to quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives that maximize licensed nurse staffing levels in hemodialysis facilities.

SUBMITTER: Yoder LA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3840051 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Patient care staffing levels and facility characteristics in U.S. hemodialysis facilities.

Yoder Laura A G LA Xin Wenjun W Norris Keith C KC Yan Guofen G

American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation 20130628 6

<h4>Background</h4>Higher numbers of registered nurses (RNs) per patient have been associated with improved patient outcomes in acute-care facilities. Variation in and associations of patient care staffing levels and hemodialysis facility characteristics have not been examined previously.<h4>Study design</h4>Cross-sectional study using Poisson regression to examine associations between patient care staffing levels and hemodialysis facility characteristics.<h4>Setting & participants</h4>4,800 US ...[more]

PMID: 23810689

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Project description:Potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use in long-term care (LTC) facilities has been the focus of significant policy and clinical attention over the past 20 years. However, most initiatives aimed at reducing the use of these medications have overlooked assisted living (AL) settings.We sought to compare the prevalence of antipsychotic use (including potentially inappropriate use) among older AL and LTC residents and to explore the resident and facility-level factors associated with use in these two populations.We performed cross-sectional analyses of 1089 residents (mean age 85 years; 77% female) from 59 AL facilities and 1000 residents (mean age 85 years; 66% female) from 54 LTC facilities, in Alberta, Canada. Research nurses completed comprehensive resident assessments at baseline (2006-2007). Facility-level factors were assessed using standardized administrator interviews. Generalized linear models were used to estimate odds ratios for associations, accounting for clustering by facility.Over a quarter of residents in AL (26.4%) and LTC (31.8%) were using antipsychotics (p = 0.006). Prevalence of potentially inappropriate use was similar in AL and LTC (23.4 vs. 26.8%, p = 0.09). However, among users, the proportion of antipsychotic use deemed potentially inappropriate was significantly higher in AL than LTC (AL: 231/287 = 80.5%; LTC: 224/318 = 70.4%; p = 0.004). In both settings, comparable findings regarding associations between resident characteristics (including dementia, psychiatric disorders, frailty, behavioral symptoms, and antidepressant use) and antipsychotic use were observed. Few facility characteristics were associated with overall antipsychotic use, but having a pharmacist on staff (AL), or an affiliated physician (LTC) was associated with a lower likelihood of potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use.Our findings illustrate the importance of including AL settings in clinical and policy initiatives aimed at reducing inappropriate antipsychotic use among older vulnerable residents.

Project description:BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Fluid overload and intradialytic hypotension are associated with cardiovascular events and mortality in patients on hemodialysis. We investigated associations between hemodialysis facility practices related to fluid volume and intradialytic hypotension and patient outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS:Data were analyzed from 10,250 patients in 273 facilities across 12 countries, from phase 4 of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS; 2009-2012). Cox regression models (shared frailty) were used to estimate associations between facility practices reported by medical directors in response to the DOPPS Medical Directors Survey and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization, and cardiovascular events, adjusting for country, age, sex, dialysis vintage, predialysis systolic BP, cardiovascular comorbidities, diabetes, body mass index, smoking, residual kidney function, dialysis adequacy, and vascular access type. RESULTS:Of ten facility practices tested (chosen a priori), having a protocol that specifies how often to assess dry weight in most patients was associated with lower all-cause (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 99% confidence interval [99% CI], 0.64 to 0.94) and cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.72; 99% CI, 0.55 to 0.95). Routine orthostatic BP measurement to assess dry weight was associated with lower all-cause hospitalization (HR, 0.86; 99% CI, 0.77 to 0.97) and cardiovascular events (HR, 0.85; 99% CI, 0.73 to 0.98). Routine use of lower dialysate temperature to limit or prevent intradialytic hypotension was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.76; 99% CI, 0.58 to 0.98). Routine use of an online volume indicator to assess dry weight was associated with higher all-cause hospitalization (HR, 1.19; 99% CI, 1.02 to 1.38). Routine use of sodium modeling/profiling to limit or prevent intradialytic hypotension was associated with higher all-cause mortality (HR, 1.36; 99% CI, 1.14 to 1.63), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.34; 99% CI, 1.04 to 1.73), and cardiovascular events (HR, 1.21; 99% CI, 1.03 to 1.43). CONCLUSIONS:Hemodialysis facility practices relating to the management of fluid volume and intradialytic hypotension are associated with patient outcomes.

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Patient care staffing levels and facility characteristics in U.S. hemodialysis facilities.

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Patient care staffing levels and facility characteristics in U.S. hemodialysis facilities.

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