International Research
The Registered Nurse (RN4CAST) Consortium
This study investigates the role that the nursing work environment and nursing staff deployment play in nurse recruitment , retention, productivity and patient outcomes. The consortium consists of 11 European countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the UK), the USA and three International Cooperating Partner Countries (ICPC) of the European Union (Botswana, China, and South Africa), making it the largest consortium ever in this domain. Research teams of the European countries will study at least 30 hospitals each, for an overall minimum of 330 hospitals and 15000 nurses and data from tens of thousands of patients. This 3 year project, funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme, started at the beginning of 2009. The project is coordinated by the Center for Health Services and Nursing Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium with the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research from the University of Pennsylvania serving as vice-coordinator.
September 2009: RN4CAST investigators from 15 participating countries met with officials from the European Commission at the Commission's headquarters in Brussels. Stakeholders from international organizations also attended.
January 2010: Norway was accepted into the study.
January 14-15, 2010: RN4CAST meeting in Leuven, Belgium.
Related articles:
Belgian Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes_Van_den_Heede_2009.pdf
RN4CAST Pilot Study_Bruyneel_2009.pdf
Nurse Staffing and Outcomes in China
In a large population center such as China, health care reform is essential. The China Medical Board has funded a study to evaluate the state of nursing in China, and to encourage nursing education and research. Under the direction of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) and with the help of the University of Pennsylvania, eight nursing schools in provinces across China have collected data on hospital environment, nurse characteristics, staffing levels and patient satisfaction. In total, the study includes data on 180 hospitals, 9000 nurses, and 4500 patients, making it one of the largest studies of nursing in China. The study is well situated to capture the attention of leaders and government officials, adding a new perspective to the health care discussion. In addition, the study process is encouraging collaboration and research ties between Chinese nursing schools and the University of Pennsylvania.
Hospital Outcomes in South Korea
The University of Pennsylvania has partnered with Yonsei University in South Korea for a national study on the outcomes of hospital nursing. Dr. Linda Aiken and Dr. Eunhee Cho serve as co-directors for the study, which will last from 2007 to 2010. Importantly, the study is the first major policy-relevant nursing outcomes study conducted in Korea. It is funded by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Office of Global Health ($20,000) and Center for Nursing Outcomes Research Pilot grant, a $10,000 grant from NINR and an $80,000 grant from the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation - a partnership that creates opportunities for collaboration and cross-national comparison between Yonsei and Penn.
Magnet Hospital Creation in Dubai
CHOPR continues to provide support to the creation of University Hospital Dubai, a R&D project with collaboration between Pennsylvania University Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center to create a magnet hospital in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and conduct a national study replicating RN4CAST. A Magnet Hospital in such a rapidly growing urban center is vital to provide quality medical care in the Middle East. As the UAE has a shortage of nurses (a third of America's nursing to population ratio), health care and education reform is necessary to increase the ratio of nurses and thus provide superior medical and nursing service. The current study established a baseline of care in UAE hospitals, which will be compared to the results of a restudy in 2012, after the University Hospital opens.
International Visitors
- Maria Teresa Faura Vendrell: Professor, University of Barcelona; Barcelona, Spain; Fall 2009
- Dean Liming You: Sun Yat-sen University; Guangzhou, China; March 2009
- Dr. Sheila Shaibu: Professor of Nursing, University of Botswana; Gaborone, Botswana; Country lead for Botswana in RN4CAST; Spring 2010
- Dr. Teresa Moreno: Unidad de Coordinación y Desarrollo de la Investigación de Enfermería (Nursing Research Coordination and Development Center); Madrid, Spain; Country lead for Spain in RN4CAST; February 17-19, 2010
- Dr. Maria Schubert: Institute for Nursing Science, University of Basel; Basel, Switzerland; Co-director for Switzerland, RN4CAST; 2010