Review examines nurse staffing during disasters

“If appropriate nurse staffing is often difficult to determine on a daily basis, it becomes even more problematic during times of disaster,” write two nurse scholars in the latest issue of Nursing Economic$. The authors conducted a review of the academic literature from 2009-2019 on nurse staffing models related to disaster response and their associated costs. Most papers described tiered staffing models for surge response. Methods for retaining nurse staff in the face of increased demand included cancellation of leave, mandatory overtime and modifying nurse-to-patient ratios. Preparedness through education and drills was seen as essential to an effective disaster response regardless of the number of staff available.