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!
| 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% | |||