Distribuição do tempo das enfermeiras: identificação e análise em Unidade Médico-Cirúrgica Distribución del tiempo de las enfermeras: identificación y análisis en una Unidad Médico Quirúrgica Nurses' time distribution: identification and analysis in a Medical-Surgical Unit

Diante do impacto da distribuição do tempo de trabalho da profissional enfermeira na determinação de parâmetros para a operacionalização do processo de dimensionar pessoal de enfermagem, este estudo teve por objetivo identificar e analisar a distribuição do tempo de trabalho das enfermeiras em uma unidade de internação médico-cirúrgica. Para a consecução dos objetivos da pesquisa considerou-se, como população estatística, as atividades de enfermagem realizadas pelas enfermeiras durante os turnos de trabalho. Verificou-se que 50% do tempo destas profissionais foram dedicados às intervenções de cuidado indireto, 22% às intervenções de cuidado direto, 18% às atividades de tempo pessoal e 10% às atividades associadas. Estes dados corroboram a indicação de pesquisadores que apontam a necessidade de serem considerados o tempo pessoal dos trabalhadores de enfermagem e a realização das atividades associadas nos métodos de dimensionamento de pessoal preconizados pelos órgãos oficiais.<br>Delante del impacto de la distribución del tiempo de trabajo de la profesional enfermera en la determinación de parámetros para la operacionalización del proceso de dimensionar el personal de enfermería, este estudio tuvo por objetivo identificar y analizar la distribución del tiempo de trabajo de las enfermeras en una unidad de internación médico quirúrgica. Para la consecución de los objetivos de la investigación se consideró, como población estadística, las actividades de enfermería realizadas por las enfermeras durante los turnos de trabajo. Se verificó que 50% del tiempo de estas profesionales fue dedicado a las intervenciones de cuidado indirecto, 22% a las intervenciones de cuidado directo, 18% a las actividades de tiempo personal y 10% a las actividades asociadas. Estos datos corroboran la indicación de investigadores que apuntan la necesidad de considerar el tiempo personal de los trabajadores de enfermería y la realización de las actividades asociadas en los métodos de dimensionamiento de personal preconizados por los órganos oficiales.<br>This study was performed to identify and analyze the distribution of nurses' work hours at a medical-surgical hospitalization unit, in view of the impact on making the nursing personnel dimensioning process effective during their work hours. Of the activities that nurses performed, 50% of the nurses' time was invested on indirect care interventions, 22% on direct care interventions, 18% on personal time activities, and 10% on associated activities. These data confirm previous reports that show a need to consider nursing personnel's personal time and associated activities in the official rightsizing methods

The work pattern of personal care workers in two Australian nursing homes: a time-motion study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the study is to describe the work pattern of personal care workers (PCWs) in nursing homes. This knowledge is important for staff performance appraisal, task allocation and scheduling. It will also support funding allocation based on activities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A time-motion study was conducted in 2010 at two Australian nursing homes. The observation at Site 1 was between the hours of 7:00 and 14:00 or 15:00 for 14 days. One PCW was observed on each day. The observation at Site 2 was from 10:00 to 17:00 for 16 days. One PCW working on a morning shift and another one working on an afternoon shift were observed on each day. Fifty-eight work activities done by PCWs were grouped into eight categories. Activity time, frequency, duration and the switch between two consecutive activities were used as measurements to describe the work pattern.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Personal care workers spent about 70.0% of their time on four types of activities consistently at both sites: direct care (30.7%), indirect care (17.6%), infection control (6.4%) and staff break (15.2%). Oral communication was the most frequently observed activity. It could occur independently or concurrently with other activities. At Site 2, PCWs spent significantly more time than their counterparts at Site 1 on oral communication (Site 1: 47.3% vs. Site 2: 63.5%, P = 0.003), transit (Site 1: 3.4% vs. Site 2: 5.5%, P < 0.001) and others (Site 1: 0.5% vs. Site 2: 1.8%, P < 0.001). They spent less time on documentation (Site 1: 4.1% vs. Site 2: 2.3%, P < 0.001). More than two-thirds of the observed activities had a very short duration (1 minute or less). Personal care workers frequently switched within or between oral communication, direct and indirect care activities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>At both nursing homes, direct care, indirect care, infection control and staff break occupied the major part of a PCW’s work, however oral communication was the most time consuming activity. Personal care workers frequently switched between activities, suggesting that looking after the elderly in nursing homes is a busy and demanding job.</p

Job satisfaction trends during nurses' early career

BackgroundJob satisfaction is an important component of nurses' lives that can impact on patient safety, productivity and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover, commitment to the organisation and the profession. Little is known about job satisfaction in early career and how it varies for different groups of nurses. This paper investigates how the components of job satisfaction vary during early career in newly qualified UK nurses.MethodsNurses were sampled using a combined census and multi-stage approach (n = 3962). Data were collected by questionnaire at 6 months, 18 months and 3 years after qualification between 1998 and 2001. Scores were calculated for seven job satisfaction components and a single item that measured satisfaction with pay. Scores were compared longitudinally and between nursing speciality (general, children's, mental health) using a mixed model approach.ResultsNo single pattern across time emerged. Trends varied by branch and job satisfaction component. Rank order of job satisfaction components, from high to low scores, was very similar for adult and child branch nurses and different for mental health. Nurses were least satisfied with pay and most satisfied with relationships at 6 and 18 months and with resources (adult and child) and relationships (mental health) at 3 years. Trends were typically upwards for adult branch nurses, varied for children's nurses and downwards for mental health nurses.ConclusionThe impact of time on job satisfaction in early career is highly dependent on specialism. Different contexts, settings and organisational settings lead to varying experiences. Future research should focus on understanding the relationships between job characteristics and the components of job satisfaction rather than job satisfaction as a unitary construct. Research that further investigates the benefits of a formal one year preceptorship or probationary period is needed.<br/