P16 | Real calculation of nursing activity expenditure and factors correlated with per-patient nursing over-activities in an Internal Medicine department

Premises and Aims of the study: Adequate nursing care can be decisive for the outcome of a patient admitted to any department. Prediction of nursing activity at the time of a patient’s admission could improve the organization. This study aimed to assess the standardized nursing requirements of patients admitted to a medical setting and to identify factors that correlate with high demands.Materials and Methods: This study enrolled patients admitted to Internal Medicine ward at the Altovicentino Hospital between September and December 2022. Nursing activities were recorded for the first three days of hospitalisation and standardised as performance/5 minutes/patient. Patients requiring more than the 75th percentile of performance/5 minutes/patient were considered nursing over-activities.Results: This study enrolled 333 patients. Their mean Charlson Comorbidity Index, Clinical Frailty Scale, Barthel Index, and Sistema Informtativo della Performance Infermieristica scores were 5.3, 4.2, 62.4, and 53.7, respectively. Mean National Early Warning System (NEWS) on admission was 3.7 (2.9). A median of 73 (54–109) nursing care activities/5 minutes/patient were performed. NEWS score (OR: 1.372, 95%CI: 1.216–1.547, p <0.001) and Barthel Index (OR: 0.983, 95%CI: 0.967–0.999, p=0.041) were independent risk factors for nursing over-activities.Conclusions: NEWS and the Barthel Index could help reorganise nursing resources within Internal Medicine wards, allowing for an equal distribution between patients.