Studying Patient Acuity and Nursing Work Environment in Somatic In-patient Care Units with a New Management Tool

What This Trial Is About

This research aims to examine nursing workload measurements in somatic in-patient care to understand staffing levels and nurses views on their work environment. The focus is on using patient acuity measures, which assess the severity of illness and nursing care needs, to improve nurse staffing decisions. The study is conducted in five wards in Gvleborg County, Sweden, and includes comparison with two wards not using these measures. A patient acuity tool will be introduced as part of daily management in the five wards starting autumn 2023. Patient acuity data will be collected twice daily during morning and evening shifts, while nurses will weekly estimate their work environment perceptions for their shifts. These data will be compared with staffing and acuity scores. Additionally, semi-structured interviews with nurses and ward managers will be conducted before, during, and after the implementation. Participants will be surveyed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months after the tools introduction using web-based questionnaires reaching all nursing staff. Weekly assessments and interviews will complement the data collection. Researchers will analyze workplace environment measures, workload estimations, and patient acuity scores to explore changes related to nurses well-being, stress, and staffing practices over time.

Patient Acuity in Somatic In-patient Care