Survey of Managers Regarding Nurses’ Performance of Nonnursing Duties

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The performance of nonnursing duties by nursing staff contributes to an already busy workload while taking time away from patient care. OBJECTIVE: This article reports on a process implemented by a large regional health authority in Canada to measure and address nurses’ performance of nonnursing duties through a newly created tool. METHODS: Process improvement methodology was used to conduct this project. A measurement tool, the “Non-Nursing Duties Tracking Tool,” was designed for frontline nursing staff and patient care attendants to document the performance of tasks classified as clerical, housekeeping, food services, clinical support, and transportation. This article reports on a survey of managers regarding information collected from frontline nurses and patient care attendants regarding their performance of nonnursing duties and actions taken or planned to address this. RESULTS: Tasks were identified that could be delegated to housekeeping, transport, and clerical staff. Both frontline nurses and managers expressed the need for administrative support to realign nonnursing tasks to more appropriate personnel. Although most managers of nurses expressed concern about the support of managers in other departments to make these changes, little resistance was encountered when adequate resources were in place. CONCLUSIONS: The “Non-Nursing Duties Tracking Tool” is a valid instrument to support the assessment of nonnursing direct care duties.

The Impact of Performance of Non-Nursing Tasks on the Attitudes of Nursing Students toward Nursing Profession

“…In line with many previous studies (Bekker et al, 2015;Kearney et al, 2016), the current study revealed that answering phones and clerical works and patients' transportation within hospitals were considered as the most commonly performed NNTs by registered nurses. These findings might be attributed mainly to labor resources, as indicated by a recent study conducted by Al-Faouri et al (2020) which revealed that inadequacy of clerical employees, patient transporters, and other assistive staff has a significant contribution to high prevalence of performing NNTs by registered nurses and high level of missed nursing care (Al-Faouri et al, 2020).…”

Prevalence and reasons for non‐nursing tasks as perceived by nurses: Findings from a large cross‐sectional study

“…A questionnaire survey was developed by 11 members of the Nursing Board (advanced educated and with a range of role responsibilities, from clinical to managerial) during five consecutive meetings, each of them 1.5 h in length. In these meetings, a review of the literature (e.g., Biondino, 2017 ; Bruyneel et al, 2013 ; D'Angelo, 2014 ; Grosso et al, 2019 ; Gussoni, 2016 ; Kearney et al, 2016 ; Lu et al, 2008 ; McKenna, 1998 ) was performed. Also, 64 letters written by nurses to the President of the Nursing Board requesting help/advice with regard to non‐nursing tasks were analysed.…”

“…Changes in the staff mix and reductions in the number of nurses' aide have also increased the occurrence of non‐nursing tasks. For example, when units are understaffed for housekeepers and porters, their tasks are expected to be performed by nurses (Kearney et al, 2016 ) or by nursing students who might learn that it is ‘normal’ to perform these tasks, thus perpetuating the phenomenon (Palese, Ambrosi, et al, 2019 ).…”

Hastanede Çalişan Hemşi̇releri̇n Hemşi̇reli̇k Dişi Görevleri̇ Ve Nedenleri̇ni̇n İncelenmesi̇

“…yaptığı bir araştırmada hemşirelik dışı görevler; kayıt ve dokümantasyon hizmetleri, kat hizmetleri, yemek hizmetleri, klinik destek hizmetleri, taşımacılık hizmetleri şeklinde gruplandırılmıştır. Ayrıca her bir grup için yapılan işlerin ayrıntılarıyla açıklandığı ve klinikteki yönetici hemşireler tarafından izlem yapılabilen bir form geliştirilmiştir (7). Hemşirelik dışı görevlerle birlikte artan iş yükü, fazla mesai, ekonomik beklentilerin karşılanamaması, sosyal aktivitelere zaman ayıramama gibi faktörler hemşirelerde duygusal olarak tükenmeyi tetiklemektedir.…”

“…Hemşirelik dışı görevlerle birlikte artan iş yükü, fazla mesai, ekonomik beklentilerin karşılanamaması, sosyal aktivitelere zaman ayıramama gibi faktörler hemşirelerde duygusal olarak tükenmeyi tetiklemektedir. Hemşirelerin mesai saatlerinde yoğun bir çalışma temposu içinde olmalarına rağmen kendi görevlerinin yanı sıra farklı meslek gruplarının işlerini yapmak zorunda kalmaları; hem çalışma performansını hem de hasta bakım kalitesini düşürmektedir (7)(8)(9). Hemşirelere yüklenen ek görevler, sürekli zaman baskısı, acil durumlarda hastaya yapılan zorunlu tıbbi girişimlerle hastaya zarar verme ihtimali; çalışan hemşirelerde korku ve tedirginlik gibi duyguların yaşanmasına yol açabilir.…”