Emergency Nurses Association

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – November 10, 2026 -- Hospitals where each nurse cared for four or fewer patients recorded average emergency department boarding times about 20 minutes shorter than hospitals where one nurse handled five or more patients, according to a study in the November issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing (JEN).

Study of 335 hospitals in three states links staffing ratios to boarding times

Researchers reviewed nurse staffing data and ED boarding times from 335 hospitals in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. JEN describes the work as a first-of-its-kind study. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) publishes the journal.