Effects of Interruptions from Patient Admissions and Discharges on Nurse Workload, Satisfaction, and Falls

Bedside shift handovers are pivotal for nurses to exchange essential patient health information, yet interruptions during handovers present challenges impacting workload, job satisfaction, and patient safety. The purposes of this study, which was underpinned by contributing factors to adverse events in healthcare model, were to determine if there was a relationship (a) between the frequency of interruptions from new patient admissions and discharges during bedside shift reports on nurses' perceptions of workload, (b) between the frequency of interruptions from new patient admissions and discharges during bedside shift reports and nurses' perceptions of workload on job satisfaction among hospital nurses, and (c) between the frequency of interruptions from new patient admissions and discharges during bedside shift reports and nurses' perceptions of workload on patient falls. The Job Satisfaction Survey was used to measure job satisfaction and workload. Data from 82 participants were analyzed using Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and logistic regression. The frequency of interruptions and the perceived workload had a moderate positive correlation (p < .01); the frequency of interruptions and the perception of workload on job satisfaction had a significant relationship (β = 0.35, p < 0.01); and interruptions and workload perceptions significantly affected the likelihood of patient falls, as measured by participants’ recall of falls (χ² (2) = 12.45, p < 0.01). Future research is needed on nurses’ workload and patient safety using objective methods to measure interruptions and falls and their effects. The findings underscore the critical need for strategies to address the frequency and impact of interruptions during shift changes, which may affect positive social change