Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of increasing the employment share of nurses with higher education, analysed from the healthcare provider’s perspective. Using findings from a 12-month investigation and data obtained from a large hospital, we estimated the costs associated with preventing a single death. The intervention consisted of a 10% rise in the proportion of nursing care hours delivered by nurses with higher education. Health outcomes were expressed as the cost of avoiding one death (CER). Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) served as the assessment approach. The additional expenditure related to employing a higher proportion of nurses with higher education totalled USD 11,730.62, representing a 3.02% increase compared with baseline costs. The projected number of deaths avoided was 44. Mortality per 1000 patient days was 9.42 before the intervention and 8.41 afterwards. The cost of preventing one death through a 10% increase in the share of BSN/MSN nursing care hours in non-surgical wards was USD 263.92. Expanding the proportion of care hours provided by nurses with tertiary education represents a cost-effective strategy for lowering in-hospital mortality.
