This guideline covers safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. It recommends a systematic approach at ward level to ensure that patients receive the nursing care they need, regardless of the ward to which they are allocated, the time of the day, or the day of the week.
The guideline identifies organisational and managerial factors that are required to support safe staffing for nursing, and makes recommendations for monitoring and taking action if there are not enough nursing staff available to meet the nursing needs of patients on the ward.