Abstract
This investigates the correlation between understaffing, patient safety, and the well-being of medical-surgical nurses in healthcare settings in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, and Balanga City, Bataan. Utilizing a quantitative descriptive correlational research design, data were collected from a diverse sample of 153 medical-surgical nurses through structured surveys. Findings revealed a predominance of young, predominantly female nurses, with a significant perception of understaffing impacting both patient safety and nurse well-being. The results indicate that nurses working in understaffed units reported higher stress levels and lower job satisfaction, correlating with perceived declines in patient safety. Notably, while shift length did not significantly affect well-being, significant differences in well-being perceptions were observed between male and female nurses. Implications suggest that optimizing staffing ratios and providing tailored support could enhance nurse satisfaction and patient care. Recommendations for future research include exploring targeted interventions to address the complex interplay between staffing levels, nurse well-being, and patient outcomes.
Keywords:
Understaffing, Patient Safety, Nurses’ Well-Being, Correlational, Medical Surgical Nursing
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