Prevalence and reasons for non‐nursing tasks as perceived by nurses: Findings from a large cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and reasons for non‐nursing tasks as perceived by nurses. Background Four types of non‐nursing tasks have been identified to date: (a) auxiliary; (b) administrative, (c) expected by allied health care professionals; and (d) medical. However, no studies on a large scale have been performed with the aim of identifying the prevalence of all of these non‐nursing tasks, and factors promoting or hindering their occurrence, given that they represent a clear waste of nurses' time. Methods A cross‐sectional study in 2017, following The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies. All active nurses registered in an Italian provincial Nursing Board (=1331) willing to participate were involved. A questionnaire survey exploring the nature of the nursing tasks performed in daily practice and the underlying reasons was administered via paper/pencil and e‐mail. Results A total of 733 nurses participated of which 94.5% performed at least one type of non‐nursing task, mainly administrative and auxiliary. Auxiliary tasks are less likely among nurses working in a community (odds ratio [OR] 0.43, 95% CI 0.29–0.63, p < .01) or in a residential (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.23–0.72, p < .01) setting, in critical (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16–0.54, p < .01) or surgical (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19–0.75, p < .01) hospital settings, and when they deal with unexpected clinical events (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.44–0.77, p < .01). Greater adequacy of nursing resources decreases the occurrence of auxiliary tasks (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99, p < .01), whereas the need to compensate for a lack of resources (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.07–1.93, p < .01) increases it. Conclusions Around one‐third of shift time is devoted to non‐nursing tasks; working in a hospital, in medical units, with lack of resources and with patients with predictable clinical conditions might increase the occurrence of auxiliary tasks. Implications for nursing management Strategies to increase the time available for nursing care should consider the type of tasks performed by nurses, their antecedents and the value added to care in terms of patient' benefits.

Solving the shortage of psychiatric – mental health nurses in acute inpatient care settings

“…Although not a new phenomenon, the issue of non‐nursing tasks taking from therapeutic time must be challenged (Bekker et al, 2015; Grosso et al, 2021), while the architectural design of acute mental health units also requires review to ensure the best milieu is achieved (Jenkins, McIntosh, et al, 2022). The prospect of being blamed in an organizational culture defined by risk management (Manuel & Crowe, 2014) also weighs heavily in the minds of mental health nurses.…”

Unlocking the Future of Nursing Education and Continuing Professional Development By Embracing Generative Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Language Models

“…Starting with an initial deployment across 11 inpatient units, this initiative will collaborate with more than 400 nurses. ChristianaCare is poised to evaluate comprehensively how the introduction of cobots like Moxi influences nursing practices to help scale this transformative technology to a broader spectrum (Grosso, et al, 2021).…”

“We do others’ Jobs”: a qualitative study of non-nursing task challenges and proposed solutions

“…Nursing students’ perception of the profession can be improved by enhancing their preparedness through orientation programs [ 1 ]. Nurse managers should monitor activities and reallocate efforts to prioritize nursing care, thereby reducing missed care and enhancing client outcomes [ 7 ]. Systemically, continuous support for nursing identity and redesigning care models to encourage cooperation among healthcare professionals are essential [ 8 ].…”