The reality of nursing time: how nurses spend their shifts.

Walsby, Alex; Williams, Sharon; Gammon, John; Best, Stephanie

Background: Nurse staffing levels are increasingly challenged while pressures on healthcare systems are rising. There is a clear need to optimise efficiency in healthcare delivery in order to deliver safe, effective and quality health care. Aim: To understand how nurses working shifts spend their time and explore opportunities to improve efficiency in care delivery. Method: A time-motion study was conducted on three acute care wards in a district general hospital in West Wales; 13 nurses were observed over 14 shifts, each activity undertaken was recorded in real time. Findings: In all, 109 hours were observed. Approximately half of nurses' time is spent delivering direct patient care, with medications administration taking the majority of time. Conclusion: A number of recommendations are made involving processes and workforce modelling with the aim of improving efficiency and safety. Further research would be required to assess the impact of their introduction.

WALES; EVALUATION of organizational effectiveness; PUBLIC hospitals; WORK measurement; NURSES; ORTHOPEDIC nursing; DOCUMENTATION; MEDICAL quality control; RESOURCE allocation; HUMAN multitasking; TASK performance; GERIATRIC nursing; PATIENTS; HOSPITAL nursing staff; MEDICAL care; SCIENTIFIC observation; DRUG administration; HOSPITAL admission & discharge; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; WORK experience (Employment); NURSING; DECISION making; DISCHARGE planning; WORKING hours; PATIENT-centered care; TIME management; QUALITY assurance; DATA analysis software; MEDICAL-surgical nurses; SHIFT systems; CRITICAL care medicine; LABOR supply; EMPLOYMENT; VIDEO recording; MANAGEMENT; ECONOMICS

British Journal of Nursing, 2024, Vol 33, Issue 20, p968

0966-0461

Academic Journal

10.12968/bjon.2024.0050