Research Hypothesis

The research hypothesis is a tentative prediction of the relationship between two or more variables based on the research questions. The following study hypotheses were tested.

Fall Hypotheses

o Alternative Hypothesis: there is a relationship between nurse staffing and the likelihood or the severity of patients who had fall incidents compared to patients who had medication error incidents on a shift-by-shift and ward-by- ward level in Western Australian tertiary hospitals.

Hypothesis HA1: at the patient level: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls based on the patients’ gender.

Hypothesis HA2: at the patient level: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of falls based on the patients’ gender.

Hypothesis HA3: at the patient level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls based on patients’ age.

Hypothesis HA4: at the patient level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of falls based on patients’ age.

Hypothesis HA5: at the shift level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls based on shift time.

Hypothesis HA6: at the shift level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of falls based on shift time.

Hypothesis HA7: at the ward level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls between medical, surgical, and critical care wards.

Hypothesis HA8: at the ward level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of falls between medical, surgical, and critical care wards.

Hypothesis HA9: at the hospital level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls based on the hospital.

Hypothesis HA10: at the hospital level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of falls based on the hospital.

Hypothesis HA11: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient falls based on nursing staff registration status.

Hypothesis HA12: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient falls based on nursing staff registration status.

Hypothesis HA13: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient falls based on the nursing staff years of experience.

Hypothesis HA14: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient falls based on the nursing staff years of experience.

Hypothesis HA15: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient falls based on the actual nursing hours.

Hypothesis HA16: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient falls based on the actual nursing hours.

Medication Errors Hypotheses

o Alternative Hypothesis: there is a relationship between nurse staffing and the likelihood or the severity of patients who had medication error incidents compared to patients who had fall incidents on a shift-by-shift and ward-by- ward level in Western Australian tertiary hospitals.

Hypothesis HA17: at the patient level: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of medication errors based on the patients’ gender.

Hypothesis HA18: at the patient level: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of medication errors based on the patients’ gender.

Hypothesis HA19: at the patient level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of medication errors based on patients’ age.

Hypothesis HA20: at the patient level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of medication errors based on patients’ age.

Hypothesis HA21: at the shift level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of medication errors based on shift time.

Hypothesis HA22: at the shift level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of medication errors based on shift time.

Hypothesis HA23: at the ward level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of medication errors between medical, surgical, and critical care wards.

Hypothesis HA24: at the ward level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of medication errors between medical, surgical, and critical care wards.

Hypothesis HA25: at the hospital level, there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of medication errors based on the hospital.

Hypothesis HA26: at the hospital level, there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of medication errors based on the hospital.

Hypothesis HA27: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient medication errors based on nursing staff registration status.

Hypothesis HA28: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient medication errors based on nursing staff registration status.

Hypothesis HA29: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient medication errors based on the nursing staff years of experience.

Hypothesis HA30: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient medication errors based on the nursing staff years of experience.

Hypothesis HA31: there is a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of patient medication errors based on the actual nursing hours.

Hypothesis HA32: there is a statistically significant difference in the severity of patient medication errors based on the actual nursing hours.