Nursing care and outcome in surgical patients – why do we have to care?

Nurses have an important role in patient care. They continuously work in very close contact with patients and foster the realization of activities of daily living as well as ensure quality medical treatment. For both, a high educational level is needed. A large proportion of patients with complex health situations involving chronic illnesses and multimorbidities are treated in hospitals with shortened hospital lengths of stay, changing the caring needs and the demands on nursing. Nurses must handle complex nursing tasks for which a higher educational level is indispensable, including the ability to implement evidence-based practice. In addition, studies show a correlation between the educational level of nursing staff and the health outcomes of patients. If there are too few highly educated nurses, there is an increase in patient mortality as well as the risk of patient complications, such as falls. Also, a low number of nursing staff and a high proportion of admissions decrease the quality of nursing and result in unfavorable patient outcomes. Both developments call for the necessity of a changing nursing practice and the possibilities to transform interprofessional work.