Validation of a tool to measure neonatal nursing workload.
OBJECTIVE
To test the validity and reliability of the Winnipeg Assessment of Neonatal Nursing Needs Tool (WANNNT).


BACKGROUND
Workforce planning is increasingly challenging. Existing tools can be inadequate.


METHODS
Nurses provided estimates of patient care time. Charge nurses assessed overall safety of care. Patient levels were compared between two independent assessors. Total nursing needs was compared between the WANNNT and an independent charge nurse.


RESULTS
Mean time estimates for levels 1-5 were not significantly different from the WANNNT. Nurses estimated 50% less time than the tool assigned level 6. The tool was 95% reliable in assigning patient levels between two assessors. The mean difference between the total WANNNT assessment and the charge nurse was one nurse.


CONCLUSIONS
The tool provided a reasonable and reliable estimation of the number of nurses required for a given collection of patients in order to provide the highest quality of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse managers incorporating this tool need to determine the additional drivers for nursing time that must be considered which may be unique to their unit or hospital. The WANNNT will be a valuable asset for making staffing decisions on a shift to shift and long-term basis.
Sawatzky-Dickson
Doris
D
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. dsdickson@hsc.mb.ca
Bodnaryk
Karen
K
D002170:Canada; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012449:Safety; D013997:Time Factors; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*