ArticleFrontiers in health services2026
Unit managers between fluctuating demand and fixed staffing: a quantitative study in psychiatric nursing.
Article in Frontiers in health services, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Functions and Activities Missed by Nurse Managers, Their Antecedents and Consequences: Findings From a Qualitative Study.Journal of nursing management · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Balancing patient demand with nurse staffing remains a central challenge in inpatient care. In psychiatric settings, patient-side fluctuations create variability that is difficult to reconcile with fixed rosters and limited staffing flexibility. This study quantifies temporal variations in unit capacity utilization in psychiatric inpatient care and explores how unit managers respond to fluctuations and perceive flexible working arrangements. We combined routine inpatient data with a survey of unit managers from Swiss psychiatric hospitals. Routine data were used to describe temporal variability in capacity utilization, while the survey assessed management strategies, causes of workload fluctuations, and attitudes toward flexible working arrangements. Routine data from 116 units across 13 hospitals revealed substantial temporal fluctuations in occupancy. Most unit managers reported maintaining planned staffing levels despite changing demand, relying primarily on individual nurse-level adjustments such as overtime or calling in off-duty staff. Patient-side or structural strategies, including transfers or bed closures, were rarely used. Flexible working arrangements were viewed positively for nurse retention but deemed difficult to implement within shift-based operations. Psychiatric inpatient care illustrates the challenge of aligning fluctuating demand with staffing systems designed for stability. Current responses rely mainly on reactive measures that strain staff and may affect treatment continuity and safety, while opportunities for structural flexibility remain underused. Future research should develop data-driven tools to anticipate workload peaks and evaluate interventions that support flexible staffing and staff well-being. Organizational and policy efforts are needed to strengthen nurse manager capacity, improve working conditions, and support workforce planning that safeguards patient care.
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