Years of research show that safer nurse staffing levels directly improve patient safety, health outcomes and quality of care, yet in Canada, as in many countries around the world, nurses continue to experience excessive workloads and patients and families suffer as a result.

Written by Dr Louise Berry, RN, PhD, University of Saskatchewan, Nursing Workload and Patient Care outlines recommendation from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union (CFNU) in order to advise policy makers, decision makers, elected officials and health care executives on the current state of evidence with respect to safe staffing and improved patient outcomes.   The full version is available on the CFNU website.