A day in the life of a nurse: Real vs. ideal
A day in the life of a nurse: Real vs. ideal
We know there’s a gap between how nurses would like to spend their work days and what they really do on the job. Here are data to document the size of the gap. Last year, the Hay Group, an international human resources and organization effectiveness consultant, studied the question using survey figures from 178 acute care hospitals in the United States.
Respondents evaluated the percentage of actual, and desired working time spent in several activities. The following graphics compare the real picture with each nursing group’s ideal.
o Nursing middle managers
Percentage of time was reported for:
• time spent coaching and mentoring staff;
• time spent in off-unit activities (meetings, budgeting and staffing);
• clinical time on the unit;
• other activities. (See graphs, below.)
o Registered nurses
Percentage of time was reported for:
• time spent in direct professional clinical activities requiring an RN license (assessment, development of plan of care, coordination of multidisciplinary team, titration of IV meds, documentation of patients’ response to interventions, provision of complex patient/family teaching);
• time spent in direct clinical activities which do not require an RN license (collection of physical data on a stable patient, assistance with activities of daily living, performance of simple procedures, administration of medications, collection of specimens, preparation of patients for exams and treatment);
• time spent in non-professional activities (data entry of physician orders and patient charges, ordering and stocking of supplies and linens, management of equipment, various housekeeping chores, reception and telephone management, transportation of patients, records, specimens, etc.);
• other activities. (See graphs, p. 81.)
o LPNs and LVNs
The percentage of time was reported for:
• time spent in direct professional clinical activities requiring an LPN/LVN (licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse) license (administration of medications, management of simple IVs, including IV starts, performance of treatments such as dressing changes, reinforcement of patient/family teaching);
• time spent in direct clinical activities which do not require an LPN/LVN license (collection of physical data on a stable patient, assistance with activities of daily living, collection of specimens, preparation of patients for exams and treatments);
• time spent in non-professional activities (data entry of physician orders and patient charges, ordering and stocking of supplies and linens, management of equipment, various housekeeping chores, reception and telephone management, transportation of patients, records, specimens, etc.);
• other activities. (See graphs, p. 81.)
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