IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND CONCLUSIONS
Definition of nurse continuity
Nursing services reorganization remains a challenge for CNOs. Financial constraints from declining patient volumes, nurse call-ins (absences), fluctuations in census, retention of experienced bedside staff, and recruitment of nurses with a baccalaureate education are ongoing challenges for CNOs seeking to provide safe staffing for hospitalized patients. Efforts to promote relational nurse continuity in scheduling and assigning patients may be a nurse-staffing variable that CNOs can influence with positive repercussions for patient outcomes.
Our literature review revealed many definitions, types, and measures of continuity but only 3 studies that attempted to measure relational nurse continuity and patient outcomes. A limitation of these studies was the use of separate, unlinked data sources for the nurse-staffing and patient outcomes data. No studies addressed the interaction of relational nurse continuity and other nurse-staffing variables on an important patient outcome such as HAPUs. To guide research that may affect future nurse administrator decisions, we developed a new conceptual model and an information technology big data tool (HANDS) to measure variables in this model. We believe that understanding the power of big data science to address critical clinical issues may foster a new direction for nursing administration theory development and may be an important strategy for CNOs seeking to achieve safe, high-quality patient outcomes amid the challenge of ongoing reorganization of nursing services.