HHS Statewide
Nurse-to-patient Ratios
Mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratios were introduced in designated adult acute medical and surgical wards, as well as adult acute mental health wards in two prescribed facilities in Queensland's public hospitals on 1 July 2016. The minimum nurse staffing ratios are 1:4 for morning shifts, 1:4 for afternoon shifts and 1:7 for night shifts, relative to the number of patients on the ward, with compliance reported across the data indicators in the table below.
The existing nursing and midwifery workload management methodology tool, the Business Planning Framework, will continue to apply across all nursing and midwifery services in Queensland Health, regardless of whether a ward is designated in the nurse-to-patient ratios legislation or not.
| Quarter | Compliance rate | Number of compliant shifts | Total number of shifts | Statewide compliance rate | Statewide number of in scope wards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2023 | 99% | 45,385 | 45,752 | 99% | 171 |
| Dec 2022 | 99% | 45,686 | 46,139 | 99% | 169 |
| Sep 2022 | 99% | 44,951 | 45,182 | 99% | 167 |
| Jun 2022 | 99% | 43,451 | 43,740 | 99% | 163 |
| Mar 2022 | 100% | 42,456 | 42,613 | 100% | 163 |
| Dec 2021 | 100% | 44,348 | 44,476 | 100% | 162 |
| Sep 2021 | 100% | 44,275 | 44,385 | 100% | 162 |
| Jun 2021 | 100% | 43,471 | 43,615 | 100% | 162 |
| Mar 2021 | 100% | 42,783 | 42,877 | 100% | 162 |
| Dec 2020 | 100% | 44,072 | 44,128 | 100% | 161 |
| Sep 2020 | 100% | 43,750 | 43,815 | 100% | 160 |
| Jun 2020 | 100% | 42,591 | 42,611 | 100% | 160 |
| Mar 2020 | 100% | 42,555 | 42,648 | 100% | 158 |
| Dec 2019 | 99% | 45,488 | 45,816 | 99% | 166 |
| Sep 2019 | 99% | 45,397 | 45,630 | 99% | 166 |
| Jun 2019 | 100% | 44,704 | 44,862 | 100% | 165 |
| Mar 2019 | 100% | 43,637 | 43,780 | 100% | 165 |
| Dec 2018 | 100% | 43,910 | 44,010 | 100% | 161 |
| Sep 2018 | 100% | 43,983 | 44,088 | 100% | 160 |
| Jun 2018 | 100% | 43,435 | 43,472 | 100% | 160 |
| Mar 2018 | 100% | 42,493 | 42,569 | 100% | 159 |
| Dec 2017 | 100% | 43,586 | 43,665 | 100% | 159 |
| Sep 2017 | 100% | 43,401 | 43,581 | 100% | 159 |
| Jun 2017 | 100% | 41,864 | 41,977 | 100% | 154 |
| Mar 2017 | 100% | 41,095 | 41,242 | 100% | 154 |
| Dec 2016 | 99% | 42,142 | 42,467 | 99% | 154 |
| Sep 2016 | 98% | 40,544 | 41,548 | 98% | 155 |
All data is preliminary and subject to change. "-" indicates data not available to determine calculation or not applicable.
Source: Based on self-reported data provided by each HHS. Statewide, in scope wards comprise acute medical
wards, acute surgical wards and acute mental health wards.
In scope acute mental health wards are only located within Metro North HHS and Metro South HHS.
Only enrolled nurses, registered nurses and registered midwives who are providing direct care and have an allocation of one or more patients may be counted in the ratio.
Quoted percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratios were introduced in adult acute mental health wards in prescribed public facilities in Queensland on 15 November 2019. The minimum nurse staffing ratios are 1:4 for morning shifts, 1:4 for afternoon shifts and 1:7 for night shifts, relative to the number of patients on the ward, with compliance reported across the data indicators in the table below.
The existing nursing and midwifery workload management methodology tool, the Business Planning Framework, will continue to apply across all nursing and midwifery services in Queensland Health, regardless of whether a ward is designated in the nurse-to-patient ratios legislation or not.
| Quarter | Compliance rate | Number of compliant shifts | Total number of shifts | Statewide compliance rate | Statewide number of in scope wards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2023 | 100% | 9,678 | 9,720 | 100% | 36 |
| Dec 2022 | 99% | 9,869 | 9,936 | 99% | 36 |
| Sep 2022 | 99% | 9,852 | 9,936 | 99% | 36 |
| Jun 2022 | 99% | 9,765 | 9,828 | 99% | 36 |
| Mar 2022 | 100% | 9,669 | 9,710 | 100% | 36 |
| Dec 2021 | 100% | 9,772 | 9,843 | 100% | 36 |
| Sep 2021 | 99% | 9,604 | 9,660 | 99% | 35 |
| Jun 2021 | 99% | 9,351 | 9,450 | 99% | 35 |
| Mar 2021 | 100% | 9,416 | 9,450 | 100% | 35 |
| Dec 2020 | 99% | 9,609 | 9,660 | 99% | 35 |
| Sep 2020 | 100% | 9,613 | 9,660 | 100% | 35 |
| Jun 2020 | 99% | 9,485 | 9,555 | 99% | 35 |
| Mar 2020 | 99% | 9,071 | 9,183 | 99% | 35 |
All data is preliminary and subject to change. "-" indicates data not available to determine calculation or not applicable.
Source: Based on self-reported data provided by each HHS. Statewide, in scope wards comprise acute medical wards, acute surgical wards (and, up to and including December 2019 quarter, adult acute mental health wards in prescribed facilities located within Metro North HHS and Metro South HHS). Prescribed facilities are designated under the Hospital and Health Boards Regulation 2012.
Only enrolled nurses, registered nurses and registered midwives who are providing direct care and have an allocation of one or more patients may be counted in the ratio.
Quoted percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.