scholarly journals Nursing teamwork and time to respond to call lights: an exploratory study

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (spe) ◽  
pp. 242-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Jean Kalisch ◽  
Aimee Elizabeth Labelle ◽  
Xie Boqin
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Mental Models ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Light Response ◽  
Shared Mental Models ◽  
Electronic Systems ◽  
Care Hospital

AIM: The aim of this exploratory study was to determine whether the level of nursing teamwork is correlated to call light answering time in acute care hospital patient care units. Background: Teamwork has been shown to improve productivity. In this study, we examine the relationship between unit call light response time as a measure of productivity and the level of teamwork on the unit. METHOD: The Nursing Teamwork Survey was administered to nursing staff on 18 inpatient units in 3 hospitals. In addition to the overall teamwork score, the NTS has 5 subscales. Call light response times were collected from electronic systems which measures the time it takes for nursing staff on a given unit to respond to patient call lights. RESULTS: There was no significant relationship between call light response time and teamwork overall or on the five subscales. Shared mental models, which comprise the conceptual understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each team member, however was moderately correlated with call-light answering times. CONCLUSIONS: It is logical that shared mental models would be associated with call light response time since a common problem in patient units is the "it's not my job syndrome" where nursing staff do not answer call lights for patients assigned to someone else. More research with a larger number of patient units is needed to validate these findings.

Agitation in Demented Patients in an Acute Care Hospital: Prevalence, Disruptiveness, and Staff Burden

2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Sourial ◽  
Jane McCusker ◽  
Martin Cole ◽  
Michal Abrahamowicz
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Barthel Index ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Research Attention

Background/literature review: The prevalence of agitated behaviors in different populations with dementia is between 24% and 98%. Although agitated behaviors are potentially disruptive, little research attention has been focused on the effects of these behaviors upon nursing staff. The objectives of this study of demented patients in long-term-care beds at an acute care community hospital were to determine the frequency and disruptiveness of agitated behaviors; to investigate the associations of patient characteristics and interventions with the level of agitation; and to explore the burden of these agitated behaviors on nursing staff. Method: The study sample comprised 56 demented patients in the long-term-care unit during the study period. Twenty-seven staff who cared for these patients during three shifts over a 2-week period were interviewed to rate the frequency and disruptiveness of agitated behaviors using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, and the burden of care using a modified version of the Zarit Burden Interview. Data on patient characteristics and interventions extracted from the hospital chart included scores on the Barthel Index and Mini-Mental State Examination, the use of psychotropic medication, and the use of physical restraints. Results: Ninety-five percent of the patients with dementia were reported to have at least one agitated behavior; 75% had at least one moderately disruptive behavior. A small group of six patients (11%) had 17 or more disruptive behaviors. The frequency of most behaviors did not vary significantly by shift. Length of stay on long-term care, Barthel Index score, and the use of psychotropic medications were significantly associated with the number of agitated behaviors. The number of behaviors, their mean frequency, and their mean disruptiveness were all significantly correlated with staff burden. Discussion: The prevalence of agitated behaviors in patients with dementia in long-term-care beds at an acute care hospital is similar to that reported in long-term-care facilities. These behaviors are associated with staff burden.

scholarly journals Timely Completion of Paperwork: Are Some Residents Consistently Late Responders?

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. Metheny
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Program Coordinators ◽  
Timely Completion ◽  
Academic Year

Abstract Background One element of competence in professionalism entails the timely completion of paperwork. Early identification of residents who are consistently late in completing their assignments might be the first step in helping them change this habit. Objective This study sought to determine if program coordinators' ratings of residents' response habits to completing assignments were associated with existing measures of resident response times tracked by the institution. Methods Program coordinators rated residents as early, mid, or late responders based on their experience with them. We compared coordinators' ratings with the response time of these same residents in returning orientation materials to the institution, completing a patient safety survey and duty hour logs, and providing their required countersignature on telephone and verbal orders. A total of 196 residents enrolled at this institution were eligible for this comparison in the 2012–2013 academic year. Results Program coordinators rated 23% (40 of 177) of the residents as late responders. These ratings were significantly associated with the response time of residents in returning orientation materials and the completed patient safety survey. Residents identified as late responders were 2.45 times (confidence interval, 1.09 ± 5.64) more likely to have delinquent medical records. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that residents who are late responders can be identified as early as orientation and that they likely maintain this response habit in completing assignments throughout residency. To address this professionalism issue, programs should track and counsel residents on their timeliness in completing paperwork.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document