(HealthNewsDigest.com) – ATLANTA – The majority of nurses are spending one quarter of their twelve-hour shift on indirect patient care, which supports care delivery but does not require direct interaction with the patient. That is according to a recent study by Atlanta-based staffing and technology company Jackson Healthcare. The study also found the number of nurses reporting to spend at least two hours per shift on indirect patient care increased slightly from 73% in 2009 to 78%.
Nurses indicated that, despite the implementation of electronic medical records, much of their time away from the bedside is spent documenting orders in multiple places and for regulatory purposes and completing checklists and paperwork. Less time consuming non-patient care activities include coordinating care between hospital departments and with other caregivers, restocking supplies and preparing medication.
“Our nurses are telling us that while they are now entering orders electronically, they still have to manage many of their activities and records on paper,” said President of Jackson Nurse Professionals, Scott L’Heureux.
His company, along with Care Logistics, partnered with Jackson Healthcare to complete the second biennial study of more than 400 nursing professionals across the country.
In the study, the nurses were asked for recommendations on how to reduce the amount of time spent on indirect patient care. Solutions frequently offered by study participants include increased staffing resources and more efficient, simplified charting.
“There is a substantial amount of benefit for nurses that can be gained by looking at the processes that support the management and movement of patients within a hospital,” said Karl Straub, President of Care Logistics.
Further details of this survey can be found at www.jacksonhealthcare.com/research.
Study Methodology
Findings from this survey are based on data collected from 420 nursing professionals from July to November 2011. The survey has an error range of +/- 4.8% at the 95% confidence level.
About Jackson Healthcare
Jackson Healthcare is the fourth largest healthcare staffing company in the U.S. and serves more than three million patients in over one thousand healthcare facilities. The company also provides technology solutions that enable total hospital efficiency.
Jackson Healthcare has earned national media coverage by providing innovative solutions to healthcare problems, in addition to championing local, national and international charitable work. It has been recognized as one of the Best Places to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for five consecutive years.
Visit JacksonHealthcare.com to learn more.
About Care Logistics
In support of our customers’ operational goals, Care Logistics provides a leadership mindset curriculum, process reengineering and enterprise logistics software to help hospitals achieve reliable and predictable operational performance in the areas of throughput, quality, & experience. Care Logistics is a subsidiary of Jackson Healthcare, a group of companies focused on providing the healthcare industry with innovative physician and clinical resources and IT solutions. For more information, contact Care Logistics at 800.930.0870.
Learn more about the dramatic results Care Logistics customers are achieving go to CareLogistics.com/Outcomes.
About Jackson Nurse Professionals
As a Joint Commission certified healthcare staffing company, Jackson Nurse Professionals specializes in the placement of registered nurses in healthcare settings nationwide. It is also a recognized leader in providing quality nurses in a rapid response situation. The firm’s service options include per diem assignments, local contracts, temporary-to-permanent placement, short or long-term travel contracts, government staffing and vendor management services. Jackson Nurse Professionals’ vendor management service allows clients to standardize the agency process and, most importantly, provides hospital leadership with the tools to strategically create an optimized staffing strategy and budget that will streamline workflow. This results in higher fill rates, improved quality of care, and increased income potential for client hospitals.
visit JacksonNursing.com.
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