title: Working time and workload of nurses: the experience of a burn center in a high income country.
abstract: We conducted a one-month study of the working time and workload of nurses in a 15 beds burn center (including 8 intensive care beds). Nurses' tasks were categorized according to their nature (medical care, local treatments, post anesthetic monitoring, administrative time related to health care, administrative time unrelated to health care, cleaning, rest). The time taken to complete a given task was measured for each task. The time devoted to walk and unavailable for patients care was also measured. Our study revealed that work distribution was far from optimal since administrative tasks occupy more than 30% of workload. This represents inefficiency and the literature shows that when time is saved from administrative work it is reinvested in health care. One third of the administrative tasks are unrelated to care and thus could be performed by non-specialized clerks. The other two third of the administrative workload are closely linked to care. An answer to reduce administrative time lost to care activities is the implementation of dedicated ICU software which carries several other advantages such as reducing the use of paper, improving the safety of prescriptions, automating repetitive and unrewarding tasks and saving physician time. This expensive solution can be quickly repaid through costs containment due to the time saved. A significant part of the working time is spent walking but reducing the ambulatory time may be considered only through structural improvements.
authors.affiliation: Centre des Brulés, Centre hospitalier St Joseph et St Luc, Lyon, France. Electronic address: fravat@lucbrul.fr.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravat
authors.affiliation: Institut Supérieur d'Ingénieurs de Franche Comté (Génie Bio-Medical), Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Lucille
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Percier
authors.affiliation: Head Nurse, Centre des brulés, centre Hospitalier St Joseph et St Luc, Lyon France.
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akkal
authors.affiliation: Clinique mutualiste Eugène André, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Centre des Brulés, Centre hospitalier St Joseph et St Luc, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.affiliation: Centre des Brulés, Centre hospitalier St Joseph et St Luc, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Payre
authors.affiliation: Centre des Brulés, Centre hospitalier St Joseph et St Luc, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Poupelin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002053:Burn Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002056:Burns / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D016526:Workload; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn care; Burn center; Care demand; Care supply; Medical records; Medical records software; Nurse; Working time; Workload