Nursing Activities Score: nursing work load in a burns Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective to evaluate the nursing work load in a Burns Intensive Care Unit according to the Nursing Activities Score. Method an exploratory, descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. The Nursing Activities Score was used for data collection between October 2011 and May 2012, totalling 1,221 measurements, obtained from 50 patients' hospital records. Data for qualitative variables was described in tables; for the quantitative variables, calculations using statistical measurements were used. Results the mean score for the Nursing Activities Score was 70.4% and the median was 70.3%, corresponding to the percentage of the time spent on direct care to the patient in 24 hours. Conclusion the Nursing Activities Score provided information which involves the process of caring for patients hospitalized in a Burns Intensive Care Unit, and indicated that there is a high work load for the nursing team of the sector studied.

Avaliação da carga de trabalho no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca segundo o Nursing Activities Score

“…Within the scope of cardiology, in the present study, the NAS obtained at 24 hours (82.4%) corresponds to 19.7 hours of work by the nursing staff per patient, a value greater in comparison to other medical specialties (7)(8)(9) and from another post-operative care unit for cardiac surgery (10) . Additionally, the NAS at 24 hours was greater than that at 72 hours.…”

“…The activities included in the NAS, which includes 23 items, portray the need for care of a seriously ill patient during the first 24 hours (5)(6) . Although the NAS is widely used in intensive care units (ICU) of different specialties (7)(8)(9) , its application in specific settings, such as postoperative care of cardiac surgery, is still limited (10)(11) . The NAS findings have indicated that sociodemographic (6)(7) and clinical variables, (7) length of stay in the ICU (11) , mortality (8) and severity of the patient's conditions (8,10,12) are factors associated with the high workload of the nursing staff.…”

Dimensionamento De Pessoal De Enfermagem Na Uti-Adulto De Hospital Universitário Público

“…Este achado corrobora com outros estudos que constatam o sexo masculino também predominante, correspondendo a 58% dos pacientes (n=104) hospitalizados na UTI de um hospital localizado no Rio Grande do Sul (15) , e 74% dos internamentos (n=50) em um centro de tratamento intensivo para queimados (16) . Apesar de não ser uma medida considerada no NAS, talvez o sexo da clientela possa refletir subjetivamente na carga de trabalho da equipe de enfermagem, como por exemplo, o peso de pacientes homens comumente superior ao de mulheres, ainda que isso não seja uma regra.…”

“…Por sua vez, na região norte do estado do Paraná, a idade média dos pacientes de cuidados intensivos para pacientes queimados já correspondeu a 41 anos (16) .…”

Complexity Assessment and Monitoring to Ensure Optimal Outcomes Tool for Measuring Pediatric Critical Care Nursing

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] These tools were mostly developed and tested in adult critical care settings in the 1970s and 1980s. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Pediatric critical care requires an additional knowledge base and skill set to care for patients with varying developmental constraints plus congenital or acquired pediatric disorders. The current tools for measuring nursing workload are not inclusive of these multiple dimensions of pediatric critical care nursing.…”