Abstract
BackgroundThe balance between supply and demand for primary health care (PHC) services is one of the main challenges to the health system in Brazil. In this context, the application of planning methods could benefit the decision-making process for human resources organizations. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the staffing needs for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) at PHC services using the WISN method.MethodsThe Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology was applied at 13 Primary Care Units (PCU) located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It included 87 RNs and 174 LPNs, and used data from 2017 to 2019.ResultsThe WISN results found that RNs were under high workload pressure at 10 PCUs (77%) in 2017 and 2018, with a decrease to 8 PCUs (61%) in 2019. For LPNs, high workload pressure increased from 2 PCUs (15%) in 2017 to 13 PCUs (100%) in 2018, with a decrease to 11 (85%) in 2019.ConclusionThe assessment of staffing needs for RNs and LPNs at the PCUs included in the study identified a consistent deficit in the number of professionals, and high workload pressure in most services throughout the study period.
Highlights
The balance between supply and demand for primary health care (PHC) services is one of the main challenges to the health system in Brazil
Scope and setting The Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology was applied to two large districts of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, covered by 87 PHC teams distributed across 13 Primary Care Units (PCU) serving approximately 270 000 individuals
The WISN calculations found that in 2017 registered nurse (RN) were under a high workload pressure at 10 PCUs (77%), with a similar pattern in 2018, and with a decrease to 8 PCUs (61%) in 2019
Summary
The balance between supply and demand for primary health care (PHC) services is one of the main challenges to the health system in Brazil In this context, the application of planning methods could benefit the decision-making process for human resources organizations. Balancing the supply of healthcare professionals against the growing demand of patients is one of the biggest challenges for primary health care (PHC) systems around the world In this context, the use of workforce planning methods could contribute to the analyses and decisionmaking process to allocate the right number of professionals in the right place, at the right time, in order to meet the health needs of specific populations. It can be used to expand the role of the nursing staff and define strategies to increase the efficiency of units [5]
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