Transfer of patients in hospital units: impacts on nursing workload

Abstract

Objective: To measure the average time spent by the nursing team in transferring patients; to compare the activities observed during the performance of this intervention with those described by the Nursing Interventions Classification and to investigate the intensity of its influence on the workload. Method: Observational study using timekeeping software conducted in two hospitals in the northwest region of the State of São Paulo. 200 patient transfers were monitored by the team using two validated instruments. Results: The average time spent by nurses on transfers ranged from 9.3 (standard deviation = 3.5) to 12.2 (standard deviation = 2.5) minutes and by assistants/ technicians between 7.1 (standard deviation = 2,8) and 11.0 (standard deviation = 2.2) minutes. 63 transfers made by nurses and 87 by assistants/technicians were considered qualified (>70% of the score). The team expended 19.3 to 29% of the working day time in this intervention. Conclusion: The transfer of patients has an impact on the workload of the team and needs to be considered in the measurement of nursing activities for the calculation and distribution of personnel to improve the quality and continuity of care.

Multifactor Logistic Analysis to Explore the Risk Factors of Safety Risks in the Transport of Critically Ill Patients with ICU and the Improvement of Nursing Strategies

“…The results suggest that 38.1% of patients do not comply with safe transport [ 23 ]. In the survey data of in-hospital transport of critically ill patients, it was found that the incidence of side effects related to the patient's condition was about 31%, including the circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, and central nervous system [ 24 ]. In other scholars' studies, respiratory and cardiac arrest may occur in patients with severe craniocerebral injury, cerebral hemorrhage, cardiac injury, pericardial tamponade, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and respiratory failure [ 25 ].…”

Use of the Nursing Interventions Classification and Nurses’ Workloads: A Scoping Review

“…Finally, Trovó et al [ 5 ] studied a patient sample ( n = 200) transferred between units under intervention 7890 Transport: between facilities. The NIC establishes that the average time needed to carry out this intervention is 16–30 min.…”

“…The only experience that has been analysed to examine the intensity of its influence on nurses’ workloads corresponds to transfers of patients between facilities [ 5 ]. Although the results were lower than the averages established in the NIC, the authors considered that, during the transfer of the patients, the nurses did not record other activities involved in continuity of care or the documentation required for the administrative process of the patients’ transfers, which would increase workloads by up to 29%.…”

“…The NIC terminology only provides the bases that can be used to obtain a valid measure of nurses’ workloads. At this moment, measurement of nurses’ workloads available in the scientific literature using the NIC has only been reported in specific hospital situations [ 4 , 5 ], such as paediatrics [ 6 , 7 , 8 ] and oncology [ 9 , 10 ] clinical settings.…”

Além da classificação do paciente: a face “oculta” da carga de trabalho da enfermagem

“…Além disso, viabiliza o planejamento do cuidado diário direto, contribuindo com a estimativa e gestão de custos. Em contraponto, existem atividades que demandam tempo de enfermagem e que ultrapassam a sensibilidade da avaliação dos SCP; logo, merecem ser consideradas no processo de planejamento da força de trabalho, ainda que isso não seja verificado na prática (9) .…”