Work sampling: Valuable methodology to define nursing practice patterns

Objective: Developing an instrument to measure the time spent by nursing staff in interventions performed in diagnostic imaging centers. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at a private general hospital with the following steps: A) Identification of nursing activities through literature review and field observation. B) Cross-mapping of the activities identified in nursing interventions according to the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC). C) Validation of interventions. D) Pilot test of the instrument using the work sampling technique. Results: The judges validated 92 nursing activities corresponding to 32 interventions of the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC). The most common interventions were: examination assistance, documentation, case management, telephone follow up, admission care and health care information exchange. Conclusion: The instrument proposed to measure working time in nursing based on nursing interventions in Diagnostic Imaging Centers, has been validated and is available for use.

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“…(15) In pilot testing, interventions/activities were recorded periodically at intervals of ten minutes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tempo de enfermagem em centro de diagnóstico por imagem: desenvolvimento de instrumento

Cruz

Gaidzinski

2013

Acta paul. enferm.

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“…More than 95% agreement was achieved in their recorded data, with differences in the remaining 5% being resolved by discussion and consensus. According to the suggestion of Pelletier and Duffield, 22 the observer had adequate competence to collect valid and reliable data.…”

Section: Training Of the Observermentioning

confidence: 99%

Time spent on daytime direct care activities by personal carers in two Australian residential aged care facilities: a time–motion study

Qian¹,

Yu²,

Hailey³

et al. 2014

Aust. Health Review

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Objective. To examine the time, frequency and duration of each direct care activity conducted by personal carers in Australian residential aged care homes. Methods. A time-motion study was conducted to observe 46 personal carers at two high-care houses in two facilities (14 days at Site 1 and 16 days at Site 2). Twenty-three direct care activities were classified into eight categories for analysis. Results. Overall, a personal carer spent approximately 45% of their time on direct care, corresponding to 3.5 h in an 8-h daytime shift. The two sites had similar ratios of personal carers to residents, and each resident received 30 min of direct care. No significant differences between the two sites were found in the time spent on oral communication, personal hygiene and continence activities. Personal carers at Site 1 spent significantly less time on toileting and mobility activities than those at Site 2, but more time on lunch activity. Although oral communication took the longest time (2 h), it occurred concurrently with other activities (e.g. dressing) for 1.5 h. Conclusions. The findings provide information that may assist decision makers in managing the operation of highcare residential aged care facilities, such as planning for task allocation and staffing. AbstractObjective. To examine the time, frequency and duration of each direct care activity conducted by personal carers in Australian residential aged care homes.Methods. A time-motion study was conducted to observe 46 personal carers at two highcare houses in two facilities (14 days at Site 1 and 16 days at Site 2). Twenty-three direct care activities were classified into eight categories for analysis.Results. Overall, a personal carer spent approximately 45% of their time on direct care, corresponding to 3.5 h in an 8-h daytime shift. The two sites had similar ratios of personal carers to residents, and each resident received 30 min of direct care. No significant differences between the two sites were found in the time spent on oral communication, personal hygiene and continence activities. Personal carers at Site 1 spent significantly less time on toileting and mobility activities than those at Site 2, but more time on lunch activity. Although oral communication took the longest time (2 h), it occurred concurrently with other activities (e.g. dressing) for 1.5 h.Conclusions. The findings provide information that may assist decision makers in managing the operation of high-care residential aged care facilities, such as planning for task allocation and staffing.

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“…Nursing researchers have employed it for over 50 years and reported results frequently over this period. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Essentially, worksampling is a non-experimental approach designed to help "analys[e] the distribution of staff work activities in relation to how nursing staff spend their time and in relationship to the types of activities they perform" 19 (p. 34). Worksampling methodology is based on probability theory, which purports that "observations taken at repeated random intervals will have the same distribution [as continuous observations].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Large numbers of observations are necessary to ensure a sufficiently robust sample from which to generalise the findings. Useful reviews of the history, utility and efficacy of work-sampling can be found in Pelletier and Duffield 21 and Duffield and Wise. 22 The 2000 and 2002 studies employed a worksampling instrument originally described by Urden and Roode, 19 adapted for the Australian context.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A high level of inter-rater reliability (> 90%) was established in both sampling periods before commencing the research. 21 These data collectors observed the activities of each consenting nurse on the ward (every nurse rostered with the exception of the manager, who would be identifiable) every 10 minutes (called a set) for each of the 2-hour sampling periods. Thus, 12 sets of observations were collected for each sampling period.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Measuring the impact of a team model of nursing practice using work sampling

Walker¹,

Donoghue²,

Mitten-Lewis³

2007

Aust. Health Review

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The increasing number of inexperienced graduates, as well as other levels of nurse such as the enrolled nurse and assistant-in-nursing, requires health service and nursing managers in the acute care sector to rethink the long-preferred "patient allocation" model of care provision. As well, the escalating shortage of registered nurses and subsequent low morale among those remaining in the workforce require hospitals to re-examine skills mix and staffing ratios. This paper presents the results of two work-sampling studies conducted in a major metropolitan private hospital, the first of which was to provide a rationale for changing from the patient allocation model to a team model of care. The second study aimed to evaluate and provide data on the impact of the change. Staff were heavily involved in both studies as well as the change process. The findings highlight how effective the new model has been in redistributing certain aspects of care to make better use of each nurse HEALTH SERVICE PLANNERS are responding to staff shortages and strained finances by redesigning nursing workforces. 1 Driven by such factors as the increased age and numbers of chronically ill patients, 2 increased acuity and complexity of hospitalised patients, 3,4 the continuous introduction of new technologies, 5 shortened length of stay and increased community burden with no compensatory transfer of resources, 6 health care facilities have been implementing alternative practice models. These models attempt to sustain quality patient care, assure patient safety and satisfaction and maintain budgetary efficiency. 7,8 The current shortage of registered nurses (RNs) 1,9 has compounded the problem, making the redesign of nursing work an imperative. What is known about the topic? Nursing has long advocated the "patient allocation" model of care for a professional workforce with "team nursing" generally seen as a model from the past that is not appropriate for contemporary times. However, with the protracted crisis of recruitment and retention of registered nurses (RNs), the patient allocation model has become unsustainable in many hospitals, suggesting a need to return to team nursing. What does this paper add?Work sampling methodology identified changes in the pattern of nurses' work following changes to skill mix and staffing ratios. Our findings provide strong empirical evidence that team nursing can enhance the provision of care. What are the implications for practitioners?While the transfer of nursing education to the tertiary sector enhanced the professionalisation of nursing and made possible the idea of an all RN workforce, larger social and political forces have conspired to limit this possibility. As the long-term forecast for nursing is an increasing shortage of RNs the profession has to find ways to provide high quality and safe care to its constituencies that best use the skills of an RN while deploying less educated and skilled nurses to support and complement the work of this now precious resource.

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Work sampling: Valuable methodology to define nursing practice patterns

Cited by 93 publications

References 22 publications

Tempo de enfermagem em centro de diagnóstico por imagem: desenvolvimento de instrumento

Tempo de enfermagem em centro de diagnóstico por imagem: desenvolvimento de instrumento

Time spent on daytime direct care activities by personal carers in two Australian residential aged care facilities: a time–motion study

Measuring the impact of a team model of nursing practice using work sampling

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