The nurse in the management of materials in teaching hospitals

OBJECTIVETo present the nurse's integration within materials management of six teaching hospitals of Paraná - Brazil, and to describe the activities performed by nurses within this process.METHODA study of a qualitative approach and descriptive nature, conducted in teaching hospitals in Paraná, between June and August of 2013. The data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with eight nurses who worked in materials management; data were analyzed using content analysis.RESULTSThese showed that nurses perform ten categories of activities, distributed into four of the five steps of the materials management process.CONCLUSIONThe nurse, in performing of these activities, in addition to favoring the development of participative management, contributes to the organization, planning, and the standardization of the hospital supply process, giving greater credibility to the work with professionals who use the materials, and to the suppliers

Direct Cost of Reprocessing Cotton-woven Surgical Drapes: a Case Study

OBJECTIVE Identify the direct cost of reprocessing double and single cotton-woven drapes of the surgical LAP package. METHOD A quantitative, exploratory and descriptive case study, performed at a teaching hospital. The direct cost of reprocessing cotton-woven surgical drapes was calculated by multiplying the time spent by professionals involved in reprocessing the unit with the direct cost of labor, adding to the cost of materials. The Brazilian currency (R$) originally used for the calculations was converted to US currency at the rate of US$0.42/R$. RESULTS The average total cost for surgical LAP package was US$9.72, with the predominance being in the cost of materials (US$8.70 or 89.65$7.99 or 91.90%). CONCLUSION The knowledge gained will subsidize discussions about replacing reusable cotton-woven surgical drapes for disposable ones, favoring arguments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of this possibility considering human resources, materials, as well as structural, environmental and financial resources

Os desafios enfrentados pelos iniciantes na prática de enfermagem

O estudo teve o objetivo de investigar os desafios enfrentados pelas enfermeiras no início da profissão. As informações foram obtidas por entrevistas semiestruturadas de 31 profissionais de enfermagem formados entre 2000 a 2004. A análise foi feita pelo software Atlas Ti para análise qualitativa. Os recém-graduados enfrentaram desafios referentes às atividades: a) Relacionamento com a equipe de trabalho; b) Competência e habilidade técnica. Conclui-se que os recém-graduados estão pouco preparados para desempenhar a função de liderar uma equipe de enfermagem, bem como para o cuidado em unidades de alta complexidade. Para enfrentar esses desafios, novas estratégias de ensino e de prática devem ser traçadas de comum acordo entre docentes e enfermeira e enfermeiros atuantes na prática.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar los desafíos enfrentados por las enfermeras en el inicio del ejercicio de su profesión. La recolección de datos fue efectuada a través de encuestas semiestructuradas, realizadas a 31 profesionales de enfermería que obtuvieron su graduación en el periodo de 2000 a 2004. El análisis fue efectuado con el software Atlas Ti para análisis cuantitativo. Los recién graduados enfrentaron desafíos en relación a: a) relación con el resto del equipo de trabajo; b) competencia y habilidad técnica. Se concluye en que los novatos están poco preparados para ejercer la función de liderar un equipo de enfermería y también para la atención en unidades de alta complejidad. Para enfrentar tales desafíos es necesario desarrollar nuevas estrategias de enseñanza y de práctica, en total acuerdo entre los docentes y profesionales con actuación efectiva.The purpose of the study was to investigate the challenges faced by the nurses during the first years of their nursing work. A total of 31 novice nurses were included in the sample that answered a questionnaire with open and closed questions. The data analysis was conducted by using the qualitative software called Atlas Ti. The novice nurses deal with some challenges related to: a) leadership team; b) the competence and technique ability. The findings suggested that the nursing novice is not well prepared for assuming a leadership role as well as for caring in the settings of high-complexity. In order to cope those challenges new strategies of education and nursing practice has to be developed together with nurses educators and nurses practitioners

Gerenciamento de custos: aplicação do método de Custeio Baseado em Atividades em Centro de Material Esterilizado Gerenciamiento de costos: aplicación del Método de Costeo Basado en actividades en centro de material esterilizado Cost management: the implementation of the Activity-Based Costing method in sterile processing department

Esta pesquisa exploratória descritiva, na modalidade de estudo de caso, teve por objetivo a aplicação do Custeio Baseado em Atividades (ABC) em Centro de Material e Esterilização (CME) de um hospital de ensino de capacidade extra. A coleta de dados ocorreu durante o ano de 2006, utilizando-se as técnicas de análise documental e observação direta não participante. A análise de processos possibilitou o conhecimento dos custos do ciclo/carga de desinfecção química ($9.95) e física ($12.63), e esterilização por vapor saturado sob pressão ($31.37) e por vapor de Baixa Temperatura e Formaldeído Gasoso ($255.28). As informações geradas pelo ABC resultaram na compreensão do processo gerador de custos e forneceram base para a mensuração de desempenho e melhorias de processos do CME.<br>Esta investigación exploratoria descriptiva efectuada en la modalidad de estudio de caso, tuvo por objetivo la aplicación del Costeo Basado en Actividades (ABC) en un Centro de Material y Esterilización (CME) de un hospital de enseñanza de capacidad extra. La recolección de datos se efectuó durante el año 2006 utilizándose las técnicas de análisis documental y observación directa no participativa. El análisis de procesos posibilitó el conocimiento de los costos de ciclo/carga de desinfección química ($9,95) y física ($12,63), y de esterilización por vapor saturado bajo presión ($31,37) y por vapor de baja temperatura y formaldehido gaseoso ($255,28). Las informaciones generadas por el ABC favorecieron la comprensión del proceso generador de costos y brindaron una base para la medición de desempeño y mejorías de procesos del CME.<br>This exploratory case study was performed aiming at implementing the Activity-based Costing (ABC) method in a Sterile Processing Department (SPD) of a major teaching hospital. Data collection was performed throughout 2006. Documentary research techniques and non participant closed observation were used. The ABC implementation allowed for learning the activity-based costing of both the chemical and physical disinfection cycle/load: ($9.95) and ($12.63), respectively; as well as the cost for sterilization by steam under pressure (autoclave) ($31.37) and low temperature steam and gaseous formaldehyde sterilization (LTSF) ($255.28). The information provided by the ABC method has optimized the overall understanding of the cost driver process and provided the foundation for assessing performance and improvement in the SPD processes