Work Sampling for Patient Acuity Systems

Activities are tallied over a number of shifts and patients to determine how much time is spent in categories of worked time (see below). Activities are grouped into direct care, indirect care, unit related and personal time groups. You will be surprised and benefit from knowing the time spent away from the patient. This information often becomes the starting point for a work re-design on a patient care unit. Are you doing the right things with the right staff for the right reason?

Consider a work sampling!

Example of a Work Sampling Report

Average Percent of Time by Personnel in the Activity
	Patient Care Unit Activity	Unit Clerk	Charge RN
1	Admission Interview	0.7%	2.5%
2	Patient Education	0.2%	0.9%
3	Discharge Activities	0.0%	0.5%
4	Communication with patient / family / other	1.4%	4.5%
5	Medication / IV	0.0%	2.9%
6	Nutrition	0.3%	1.9%
7	Patient Hygiene - Bath	0.1%	1.8%
8	Patient Movement	0.8%	1.9%
9	Positioning, Exercising	0.8%	1.8%
10	Round or Assist MD or Other with Patient	0.5%	1.5%
11	Routine Checks, Patient Rounds, Symptom Observation	0.3%	3.8%
12	Specimen Gathering and Testing	0.0%	0.6%
13	Treatments and Procedures - Nursing Only	0.5%	3.4%
14	Vital Signs	0.1%	2.7%
15	Elimination	0.3%	1.0%
	TOTAL DIRECT CARE	6.6%	35.8%
21	Charting	2.5%	6.8%
22	Communication Regarding Specific Patient with Others	6.5%	9.0%
23	Team Patient Staffing Conferences	2.4%	0.8%
24	Prep meds, Pour IV, setup, mix, -away from patient	0.3%	3.2%
25	Transcribe Orders / Charge Slips	1.8%	0.7%
	TOTAL INDIRECT CARE	14.8%	32.1%
31	Cleaning, Housekeeping Tasks	0.5%	0.9%
32	Clerical	3.1%	1.8%
33	Communication with Others - Unit Related	25.8%	8.7%
34	Errands Off Unit	6.6%	1.5%
35	Shift Report	0.9%	4.4%
36	Supplies, Check, Restock	1.4%	1.0%
37	Staffing Adjustments/ Call-ins	9.9%	5.8%
38	Other Meetings / Education	21.8%	0.6%
	TOTAL UNIT RELATED	72.3%	25.8%
41	Personal	6.3%	6.3%
	TOTAL ALL ACTIVITIES	100.0%	100.0%

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