Search terms used to identify the literature
A selection of different terms were used for each iterative search.
Nurses
Free-text keywords: nurs* or RN
Medical subject heading (MeSH) headings: Nurses, Nursing, ‘Specialties, Nursing’, Nurses, Nursing Staff, Nursing Manpower.
Nurse managers
Free-text keywords: ‘Nurse manager*’, ‘Nurse administrator*’, ‘ward sister*’, ‘ward manager*’, ‘charge nurse*’, ‘nurse supervisor*’, ‘nurse leader*’, ‘community manager*’, ‘community nurse manager*’, ‘clinical area manager*’, ‘nurse executive*’, ‘nurse director*’, ‘nurse in charge’, ‘head nurse’, matron*, ‘shift supervisor*’, ‘Patient care manager*’, ‘Middle manager*’
MeSH headings: Nurse Administrators, ‘nursing, supervisory’, ‘nursing management’, ‘nurse managers’.
Staffing
Free-text keywords: assignment, allocation, caseload, workload, ‘nurse:patient ratio*’, ‘nurse-patient ratio*, scheduling, reallocation, ‘time allocation*’, staffing, manpower, workforce, ‘skill mix’, ratio, roster, deployment
MeSH headings: Personnel Staffing and Scheduling, Workload, staffing, shiftwork, shift workers, nurse-patient ratio, skill mix, Health Manpower, workforce, nursing manpower.
Evaluation of tools (iterative search 1)
Complexity (iterative search 3)
Nurse managers’ decision-making (iterative search 4)
Free-text keywords: ‘decision aid*’, ‘decision making’, ‘decision support*’, ‘choice behaviour*’, ‘choice behavior*’, ‘decision behaviour*’, ‘decision behavior*’
MeSH headings: ‘decision support techniques’, choice behaviour, ‘decision making’, ‘decision support systems, clinical’, Decision Support Systems, Management.
Allocation or assignment of nursing staff (iterative search 5)
Free-text keywords: assignment*, allocation, caseload, workload, ‘nurse:patient ratio*, ‘nurse-patient ratio*’, scheduling, reallocation, ‘time allocation*’.
Staffing tools or information technology used in staffing (iterative search 6)
Free-text keywords: tool*, technolog*, ‘decision making’, triangulation, ‘professional judgement’, acuity
MeSH headings: Personnel Staffing and Scheduling Information Systems.
Capacity and capability of staff (iterative search 7)
Free-text keywords: (‘personal capacity’, ‘work capacity’, capability, competence, experience, ability
Risk taking (iterative search 8)
Free-text keywords: ‘risk taking’ OR ‘risk assessment’ OR ‘risk taker’ OR ‘risk propensity’ OR ‘risk management’)
MeSH headings: ‘Risk-Taking’, ‘Risk Management’, ‘Risk Assessment’, Attitude to Risk.
Support for nurse managers (iterative search 9)
Free-text keywords: leadership, ‘professional development’, ‘managerial competence’, self-efficacy, ‘self efficacy’, ‘leadership development’, ‘staff development’, ‘professional development’, confidence
MeSH headings: ‘Staff Development, Leadership.
