Effect of the Nurse Work Environment on Older Hispanic Surgical Patient Readmissions

Background Readmissions following hospitalization for common surgical procedures are prevalent among older adults and are disproportionally experienced by Hispanic patients. One potential explanation for these disparities is that Hispanic patients may receive care in hospitals with lower-quality nursing care. Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the hospital-level work environment of nurses and hospital readmissions among older Hispanic patients. Methods Using linked data sources from 2014 to 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 522 hospitals and 732,035 general, orthopedic, and vascular surgical patients (80,978 Hispanic patients and 651,057 non-Hispanic White patients) in four states. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine the relationship between the work environment and older Hispanic patient readmissions at multiple time periods (7, 30, and 90 days). Results In final adjusted models that included an interaction between work environment and ethnicity, an increase in the quality of the work environment resulted in a decrease in the odds of readmission that was greater for older Hispanic surgical patients at all time periods. Specifically, an increase in three of the five work environment subscales (Nurse Participation in Hospital Affairs, Nursing Foundations for Quality of Care, and Staffing and Resource Adequacy) was associated with a reduction in the odds of readmission that was greater for Hispanic patients than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Discussion System-level investments in the work environment may reduce Hispanic patient readmission disparities. This study’s findings may be used to inform the development of targeted interventions to prevent hospital readmissions for Hispanic patients.