Better Nurse Staffing Linked to Shorter ER Waits
A Journal of Emergency Nursing study ties lower nurse-to-patient ratios to reduced emergency department boarding times at 335 hospitals.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
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A study published in the November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing found that hospitals with better nurse staffing had lower emergency department boarding times. Hospitals with patient-to-nurse ratios of four or fewer averaged boarding times about 20 minutes shorter than hospitals where nurses cared for five or more patients.
Why it matters
Emergency department boarding, when admitted patients wait in the ER for an inpatient bed, is a recognized driver of crowding and delayed care. The findings add evidence linking nurse staffing levels to how efficiently hospitals move patients through emergency care across the United States.
The analysis covered nurse staffing and boarding data from 335 hospitals in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Hospitals with four or fewer patients per nurse averaged ED boarding times about 20 minutes shorter than those with five or more.
The players
Journal of Emergency Nursing
A peer-reviewed nursing journal that publishes research on emergency nursing practice and care delivery.
Anna Valdez, PhD, RN
Editor of the Journal of Emergency Nursing who issued the news release announcing the study findings.
The details
Researchers grouped hospitals by patient-to-nurse ratio and compared average emergency department boarding times across the groups. The results were published in the November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing and summarized in a news release from JEN Editor Anna Valdez, PhD, RN, on November 9.
Timeline
- November 9, 2026: JEN Editor Anna Valdez, PhD, RN, issues a news release on the study findings.
- November 2026: The study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
Industry Context
The findings add to ongoing nursing research that links patient-to-nurse ratios to emergency department throughput and boarding delays. They are published in a journal focused specifically on emergency nursing practice.
Nurses and hospital staff in emergency departments may find staffing ratios a central factor in how quickly admitted patients leave the ER. Patients seeking emergency care could experience shorter waits in facilities with lower nurse caseloads.
The takeaway
Staffing ratios appear to matter for how efficiently emergency departments move patients through care, making nurse workload a measurable factor in ER performance. Readers interested in healthcare staffing can track how hospitals respond to this evidence.
Further reading
Explore more Nursing Jobs coverage across the United States for context on staffing in hospital settings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.
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Should your local hospitals be required to keep nurse-to-patient ratios below five?
