Researchers track pandemic’s effects on nurse sensitive indicators

An analysis in the August issue of Nurse Leader outlines the effects of the pandemic on nurse sensitive indicators (NSIs) as described by chief nursing officers from across the nation. Data on staffing and NSIs, including performance and surveillance during COVID-19, were collected to gain a national perspective on the collective experience of chief nursing executives, and augmented by round-table discussions with 272 executives. The researchers found a significant rise in hospital-acquired conditions during the early months of the pandemic as nurses were assigned new roles and deployed in unfamiliar environments. The paper emphasized the importance of retaining standard prevention strategies to improve patient care during future disruptions. AONL Treasurer David Marshall, DNP, RN, was among the paper’s authors.