Abstract
Background: High level of workload has been identified among stressors of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). The present study investigated nursing workload and identified its influencing performance obstacles in ICUs.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted, in 2013, on 81 nurses working in ICUs in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. NASA-TLX was applied for assessment of workload. Moreover, ICUs Performance Obstacles Questionnaire was used to identify performance obstacles associated with ICU nursing. Results: Physical demand (mean=84.17) was perceived as the most important dimensions of workload by nurses. The most critical performance obstacles affecting workload included: difficulty in finding a place to sit down, hectic workplace, disorganized workplace, poor-conditioned equipment, waiting for using a piece of equipment, spending much time seeking for supplies in the central stock, poor quality of medical materials, delay in getting medications, unpredicted problems, disorganized central stock, outpatient surgery, spending much time dealing with family needs, late, inadequate, and useless help from nurse assistants, and ineffective morning rounds (P-value<0.05).Conclusion: Various performance obstacles are correlated with nurses' workload, affirms the significance of nursing work system characteristics. Interventions are recommended based on the results of this study in the work settings of nurses in ICUs.
Highlights
Excessive workload has been identified as a significant stressor across different occupations.[1]
The most critical performance obstacles affecting workload included: difficulty in finding a place to sit down, hectic workplace, disorganized workplace, poor-conditioned equipment, waiting for using a piece of equipment, spending much time seeking for supplies in the central stock, poor quality of medical materials, delay in getting medications, unpredicted problems, disorganized central stock, outpatient surgery, spending much time dealing with family needs, late, inadequate, and useless help from nurse assistants, and ineffective morning rounds (P-value
According to the above-mentioned statements related to workload and its effects on the quality of care and patients' safety, and inspiring relevant researches[7,9,16] the present study aimed to investigate nursing workload and those performance obstacles that increase the workload in intensive care units (ICUs), in one of Tehran University of Medical Sciences hospitals
Summary
Excessive workload has been identified as a significant stressor across different occupations.[1]. Nurses’ work in complex environments with high technology results to increase the amount of workload they are exposed to.[2] Nurses in the intensive care units (ICUs) have extensive responsibilities and limited latitude, wh ich expose them to an extremely high workload,[5] both physically and mentally.[6] Nurses must continuously cope with the requests of patients and their families, and unwantedly involve in the strong emotional issues related to patients.[7] they are involved in multiple decisionmakings in urgent situations vital to patients' lives.[5,8,9] Abbey et al reported 3081 activities undertaken by ICU nurses during the day shift, of which 43% were performed simultaneously This result implies the risk of medical errors and the probability of reduction in patients’ safety.[10] Nursing workload is identified as an important contributor of patients' safety and quality of care in ICUs.[7,11,12] Beckmann et al. High level of workload has been identified among stressors of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs).
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