Distribution of Work Time in the Maternity Wards of Batna: Inter-Service Comparative Analysis

Introduction. Optimizing the working time of healthcare staff is important to improve the efficiency of health services. This study aims to analyze the distribution of working time in the maternity wards of Batna. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six maternity hospitals in Batna in 2022. Data on total available time (TAT) and its distribution between care activities, support activities, and additional activities were collected for 105 work situations. Descriptive and ANOVA analyses were performed. Results. The average annual TAT was 1528.81 hours (standard deviation: 184.94). On average, 52.65% of the time was dedicated to care activities, 42.38% to support activities, and 4.96% to additional activities. Significant differences were observed between services for care activities (p<0.001) and support activities (p<0.001). The blood banks (88.04%) and operating rooms (72.56%) dedicated the most time to care activities, while pediatric emergencies (60.36%) and laboratories (54.86%) allocated more time to support activities. Conclusion. This study reveals significant variations in the distribution of working time between services and professional categories. These results can guide the optimization of work organization in maternity wards to improve the efficiency of care.