Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Question 186: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if there is a nurse to patient ratio in operation in public hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7281/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Nurse to patient ratios in public hospitals are currently determined locally by such factors as staffing, historical establishment, the professional judgement of the director of nursing and his or her staff and service needs. I am advised that the Health Service Executive is currently planning a project to identify workforce systems that could be used by health service managers to assist in determining nurse and midwife staffing levels.