Which of the following are nursing-sensitive indicators?

• A. Weather conditions.
• B. RN hours per patient day, nursing turnover, patient falls with injury.
• C. Hospital annual budget and marketing plan.
• D. Number of visitors per patient.

Answer: (B)

Nursing-sensitive indicators are metrics that reflect the direct influence of nursing care on patient outcomes and the nursing work environment. The trio of RN hours per patient day, nursing turnover, and patient falls with injury fits this idea because they measure how staffing levels and the stability of the nursing team impact patient safety and quality of care. When there are more RN hours per patient day, patients typically receive more attentive, skilled care, which can reduce events like falls. Higher nursing turnover can disrupt continuity of care and increase the risk of adverse events, while patient falls with injury are a direct safety outcome influenced by nursing supervision and care routines. The other options—weather conditions, hospital budget/marketing plans, and number of visitors—do not directly reflect nursing care delivery or its impact on patient outcomes, so they are not nursing-sensitive indicators.