Study among the first to show relationship between nurse staffing, emergency department boarding times

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing includes a first-of-its-kind study that shows hospitals with better nurse staffing levels saw lower average emergency department boarding times than hospitals with high patient-to-nurse ratios.

Researchers reviewed nurse staffing data and ED boarding times from 335 hospitals in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In hospitals where each nurse cared for four or fewer patients, the study found average ED boarding times were about 20 minutes shorter than in hospitals where one nurse was responsible for five or more patients.

“Safe and appropriate staffing is critical to improving outcomes for emergency nurses and the communities they serve,” said JEN Editor Anna Valdez, PhD, RN, PHN, CEN, CFRN, FAEN, FAADN, FADLN. “This study demonstrates that boarding times, which the evidence has established negatively impact patients, can be reduced by appropriately staffing emergency departments.”

The study’s authors said improving nurse staffing levels is often overlooked as a strategy to reduce ED patient boarding times and boost patient throughput.

“More than two decades of evidence highlight the poor consequences of inadequate nurse staffing on patient care, including higher odds of patient mortality, hospital readmissions, prolonged hospital stays and more patients leaving the ED against medical advice,” researchers wrote. “Yet few studies have explored whether improving hospital nurse staffing could reduce ED patient boarding.”

In addition to this research, the November issue includes:

• “Safe Maternal Care Anywhere: Improving Emergency Nurse Preparedness for Obstetrical Emergencies Through Maternal Early Warning Signs Education”
• “Memorial Emergency Department Fall Risk Assessment Tool: Identifies Substantially More At-Risk Emergency Department Encounters Than Schmid — A Quality Improvement Comparison”
• “Nursing Prioritization of Emergency Waiting Room Patients: A Multisite Observational Study”

The Journal of Emergency Nursing, ENA’s peer-reviewed academic journal, is published six times a year with original research and updates from the emergency nursing specialty, while also covering practice and professional issues.

In January 2027, ENA and Elsevier, the Journal‘s longtime publisher, will transition JEN to a fully digital publication, which will allow for continued expansion in the number and variety of highly impactful articles.

About the Emergency Nurses Association
The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With 40,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

ENA Media Contact:
Mike Tish
Communications Specialist
847.460.4142
mike.tish@ena.org

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SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association