Higher ratios of nurses to patients lead to fewer deaths and readmissions, as well as shorter hospital stays and cost savings for providers, according to researchers. The findings come from a large study in Australia and prompted calls for the “important lessons” from the research to be considered by those involved in drawing up healthcare workforce strategies. “We hope that our data convinces people of the need for minimum nurse-to-patient ratios” Matthew McHugh The study, involving 55 hospitals in Queensland, suggests that a recent state policy to introduce a minimum ratio of one nurse to four patients for day shifts has successfully improved patient care.