In a hospital, nurses are the around the clock caregivers for patients. As such, they play a key role in ensuring the safety and quality of patient care. Researchers have linked several measures of nurse staffing to improved patient outcomes. The information below is obtained from data collected by Illinois hospitals and submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health. See Report Card methodology . Some of the differences in reported staffing hours may be related to differences in the manner in which hospitals define the level or complexity of care in each nursing unit. For more information, read About Nurse Staffing .

Per the Illinois Hospital Report Card Act , patients, their families and the general public have a right to access the nurse staffing and training information in a hospital.