Implementation of Nursing workload scales in a critical care unit
Section: Originals
How to quote
De Ríos Briz N, Martínez Galarza A, Solís Ibinagagoitia M, Rodríguez Rodríguez Y, Redondo Osegui A, Campo Iraeta Z, et al. Aplicación de escalas de carga de trabajo de Enfermería en una unidad de cuidados críticos. Metas Enferm oct 2016; 19(8): 12-17.
Authors
Nuria de Ríos Briz1, Amaia Martínez Galarza2, Maite Solís Ibinagagoitia3, Yolanda Rodríguez Rodríguez4, Ana Redondo Osegui4, Zuriñe Campo Iraeta4, César García Soto5, José Ignacio Pijoán Zubizarreta6
Position
1Licenciada en Psicología. Unidad Coronaria/5ª A Críticos. Hospital Universitario (HU) Cruces. Barakaldo (Bizkaia) 2Enfermera. Ciber de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP). Unidad de Epidemiologia Clínica. HU Cruces. Barakaldo (Bizkaia)3Data Manager. Unidad de Epidemiologia Clínica. HU Cruces. Barakaldo (Bizkaia)4Enfermera. Unidad Coronaria/5ª A Críticos. HU Cruces. Barakaldo (Bizkaia)5Enfermero. Centro de Salud Kabiezes. Santurtzi (Bizkaia)6Médico. Ciber de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP). Unidad de Epidemiologia Clínica. HU Cruces. Barakaldo (Bizkaia)
Contact address
Nuria de Ríos Briz. C/ Cotillo, 4-5ºA. 48980 Santurtzi (Bizkaia).
Contact email: nuderiver@gmail.com
Abstract
Objectives: to determine the workload of nurses in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, through the use of the NEMS and NAS scales; to assess the degree of correlation between both scales, and to analyze the influence of patient characteristics (age, gender, and type of condition).
Method: an observational, prospective, descriptive and single-centre study was conducted during March, 2015; 388 simultaneous records were collected for the NEMS and NAS scales, as well as sociodemographical details of patients and type of day (working/holiday). A descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted, with the significance level determined as p< 0.05.
Results: higher estimated workloads have been obtained with the NAS scale vs. the NEMS scale; in both cases, said workloads are significantly higher for surgical patients. There is a moderate positive correlation (r= 0.68) between the NEMS and NAS scales. Both tools estimate that it would be adequate to have a higher nurse/patient ratio than the existing one (76.9% higher according to NAS, and 35.3% according to the NEMS scale).
Conclusions: the NAS scale estimates higher workloads for nurses, adapted to the reality of nursing practice. This workload should be adapted to the specific needs in each unit, considering in particular the proportion of surgical patients.
Keywords:
workload; nursing staff; scales; critical care
Versión en Español
Título:
Aplicación de escalas de carga de trabajo de Enfermería en una unidad de cuidados críticos