Understanding socio-material relations in nurse staffing systems: insights from a qualitative study in England and Wales

Allen, Davina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6729-7502, Strange, Heather ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5758-8445, Jacob, Nina, Zoccatelli, Giulia, Desai, Amit and Rafferty, Anne Marie 2025. Understanding socio-material relations in nurse staffing systems: insights from a qualitative study in England and Wales. Nursing Inquiry 32 (2) , e70008. 10.1111/nin.70008

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Abstract

Amidst a global nursing shortage, ensuring sufficient nurses are available to care for patients is an international policy priority. High-income countries have developed and implemented numerous models to ensure safe nurse staffing, yet evidence to recommend any single methodology remains limited. Existing research primarily evaluates nurse staffing systems by inputs and outcomes, neglecting their internal dynamics. Using qualitative case study data from England and Wales and drawing on practice perspectives and Actor Network Theory, this paper examines these socio-material relations. Healthcare systems are complex, diverse and constantly evolving. Whilst identifying a single ‘best’ model may prove both impractical and elusive, this paper demonstrates the value of this theoretical approach for understanding the interplay of system components and the mediating effects of context. These insights can inform future research and help improve systems to meet the demands of late modernity.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences Schools > Medicine Research Institutes & Centres > Centre for Trials Research (CNTRR)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1320-7881
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 March 2025
Date of Acceptance:	27 February 2025
Last Modified:	26 Mar 2025 10:48
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/176675

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