Measuring dispensary workload: a comparison of the event recording and direct time techniques

Abstract

The direct time and Welsh benchmarking event recording techniques produced consistent results at both hospitals. Thus the Welsh benchmarking event recording technique is a valid and reproducible method of measuring dispensary workload. Hospital B (automated) had a higher workload than hospital A (manual). Further work is required to investigate the impact of automation on dispensary workload.

The impact of automation on workload and dispensing errors in a hospital pharmacy

“…Using the dispensary rota, the observer recorded, on a standardised observation schedule, staff time allocated to dispensary duties each hour of the working day. During observation the observer recorded on the observation schedule how much time was spent by non‐scheduled staff undertaking dispensary duties, defined by the inclusion criteria (Table ) . The observer also recorded the time spent by scheduled staff away from the dispensary or engaged in duties defined in the exclusion criteria (Table ).…”

“…Data on dispensary workload measured using the event recording technique were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for analysis. Data collected using the event recording technique on total staff time scheduled for dispensary activities were corrected for unscheduled deviations in staff activities as described by James and colleagues . Histograms were constructed to determine the normality of data on dispensary workload .…”

“…During observation the observer recorded on the observation schedule how much time was spent by non-scheduled staff undertaking dispensary duties, defined by the inclusion criteria (Table 4). [22] The observer also recorded the time spent by scheduled staff away from the dispensary or engaged in duties defined in the exclusion criteria ( Table 4). The total staff time allocated for dispensing duties was adjusted to account for time spent by scheduled staff away from dispensing and the additional time spent by non-scheduled staff engaged in dispensary duties.…”

“…Data collected using the event recording technique on total staff time scheduled for dispensary activities were corrected for unscheduled deviations in staff activities as described by James and colleagues. [22] Histograms were constructed to determine the normality of data on dispensary workload. [2,23] It was determined that data on dispensary workload was not normally distributed.…”

Mesure de la charge de travail en pharmacie hospitalière : analyse descriptive des données d’un établissement de santé québécois de 2004 à 2013

“…La littérature spécialisée rapporte aussi des cas de journaux de bord colligés par échantillonnage sur de courtes périodes (p. ex. une semaine à la fois mais de façon plus exhaustive) 28,29 . La déclaration quotidienne s'inscrit dans les obligations de consignation exigées à plusieurs autres groupes de professionnels dans les établissements de santé québécois (p. ex.…”