[The impact of the proportion of qualified nursing personnel on the incidence of pressure ulcers in nursing homes].

In Germany a minimal quota of 50% professionally qualified nursing personnel is statutory for the care of nursing home inhabitants. The influence of this quota on the quality outcome of nursing care is controversially discussed. The study investigated the question, whether there is an association between the proportion of qualified personnel and the incidence of pressure ulcers in nursing homes. A historical cohort study was performed. Incidence data were taken from a routine survey on pressure ulcers. Nursing homes participating in this survey were asked for information about their proportion of qualified personnel and some additional factors that could possibly influence the incidence of bedsores. Included nursing home inhabitants (n = 2813) were divided into three groups according to whether they have been cared for with a low (< 50%), medium (50-60%) or high (> or = 60%) proportion of qualified personnel. Multivariate logistic regression models were calculated. Comparing medium to low proportion of qualified personnel, an odds ratio of 1.5 (p = 0.455), comparing high to low proportion, an odds ratio of 0.8 (p = 0.703) and comparing high to medium proportion, an odds ratio of 0.54 (p = 0,09) was calculated. The study question can not be answered by the contradictory results.