Abstract
RN4CAST-Chile builds upon two decades of global nursing outcomes research and the successful implementation
of the RN4CAST study in 30 countries around the world to replicate this research for the first time in South America. Over 70 scientific papers in leading nursing and interdisciplinary journals have resulted just from
the RN4CAST-EU study, making it the most productive study ever funded by the European Commission (www.
rn4cast.eu). The results of this program of research have been influential in changing clinical practice, managerial
policies, and governmental policies in many countries. Based upon the establishment of a link between lower
patient to nurse ratios and better patient outcomes, a number of jurisdictions and countries have adopted safe
nurse staffing standards including California in the U.S., Victoria and Queensland in Australia, Ireland, and Wales.
Documentation that a nurse workforce qualified at least at the bachelor’s level is associated with better patient
outcomes including lower hospital mortality has been the catalyst for U.S. hospitals working toward a target date
of 2020 to achieve at least a 80% bachelor’s educated nurse workforce. The European Parliament for the first
time approved a bachelor’s pathway for nurse education. Additionally research from RN4CAST and its predecessor
studies has been influential in creating the evidence base in support of redesigning clinical work environments to
provide greater involvement of clinicians in institutional policy decisions and better managerial support to reduce
operational errors in clinical settings that detract from nurses, doctors, and others providing safe clinical care.
Chile will soon have comparable data to inform evidencebased decisions that hold promise for improving the outcomes of its health services.
of the RN4CAST study in 30 countries around the world to replicate this research for the first time in South America. Over 70 scientific papers in leading nursing and interdisciplinary journals have resulted just from
the RN4CAST-EU study, making it the most productive study ever funded by the European Commission (www.
rn4cast.eu). The results of this program of research have been influential in changing clinical practice, managerial
policies, and governmental policies in many countries. Based upon the establishment of a link between lower
patient to nurse ratios and better patient outcomes, a number of jurisdictions and countries have adopted safe
nurse staffing standards including California in the U.S., Victoria and Queensland in Australia, Ireland, and Wales.
Documentation that a nurse workforce qualified at least at the bachelor’s level is associated with better patient
outcomes including lower hospital mortality has been the catalyst for U.S. hospitals working toward a target date
of 2020 to achieve at least a 80% bachelor’s educated nurse workforce. The European Parliament for the first
time approved a bachelor’s pathway for nurse education. Additionally research from RN4CAST and its predecessor
studies has been influential in creating the evidence base in support of redesigning clinical work environments to
provide greater involvement of clinicians in institutional policy decisions and better managerial support to reduce
operational errors in clinical settings that detract from nurses, doctors, and others providing safe clinical care.
Chile will soon have comparable data to inform evidencebased decisions that hold promise for improving the outcomes of its health services.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 322-327 |
| Journal | Revista Médica Clínica Las Condes |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2018 |