Analysis of Nurses’ Workload in a Therapeutic Profile Department

Background. The goal of healthcare institutions is to provide high-quality and safe services to patients. Nursing workload in hospitals is discussed worldwide, as it affects the quality of patient care. Studies show that a low number of nursing staff is associated with a negative impact on patient health. Aim. To assess the workload of nurses working in the Internal Medicine Department of Hospital X in Lithuania. Methods. The study was conducted at the Hospital X. Patient case histories were used in the study, including patients who were treated in the Hospital X from 1 January 2023 to 1 August 2023. Seven hundred and eleven nursing histories were included in the study. A quantitative study, data collection and analysis were performed. The workload of nurses in the Internal Medicine Department of the Hospital X is a multifaceted and essential aspect that requires careful consideration. Results. The average working time of nurses in the entire department, including time spent with the patient, assessed according to the NAS methodology, and performing nursing procedures was 526,099.2 hours (over a 7-month period). It was found that on average, one nurse had to complete 35,073.3 hours’ worth of nursing work over a 7-month period. The hours would equate to 48 months if the tasks were performed according to global recommendations for the duration of nursing procedures. Conclusions. It was found that the workload of nurses is very high. Nurses must perform actions and procedures in less time than they are allocated. Keywords: Nurses; workload; therapeutic; nursing activities score methodology