title: Workload and patient safety among critical care nurses.
abstract: Several dimensions of workload experienced by nurses working in ICUs are described in this article, including the physical workload related to patient handling. The effects of workload on various outcomes, such as the health, safety, and quality of working life of nurses, and the safety of care provided by ICU nurses are discussed. A systemic approach to the assessment of workload is proposed that is aimed at identifying the work system factors that contribute to the different facets of workload and the interdependencies among the various dimensions of workload.
authors.affiliation: Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement and Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut Street, 575 WARF, Madison, WI 53726, USA. carayon@engr.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carayon
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Alvarado
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004644:Emotions; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D008603:Mental Health; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015399:Nursing Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013597:Systems Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data