Authors
- Janet Wettenhall1,
- Susan Lee2,
- Louise Peters2,
- Katrina Recoche2
- Peninsula Health1,
- Monash University2
2009
Excerpt
This paper reports on a quantitative study which measured the time nurses spend supporting family members in an acute Palliative care Unit (PCU) and the impact this had on the nursing workload. Palliative Care Australia (2005) acknowledges that the family is an integral component of care yet the amount of time devoted by nurses to family members is under-researched. This study builds on previous research examining the time spent following the death of a patient, but includes the time spent with family members across all shifts. Workload may also be affected by the fact the other health professionals are not always available to assist in family support, particularly after hours. Current instruments used to measure patient dependency and acuity do not include the time spent with family members, therefore may not reflect nursing workload accurately.
Findings include data which demonstrates that the majority of deaths in the PCU occurred after hours and that nurses can spend up to 25% of their shift managing individual family issues. The study has implications for recognition of the complexity of nursing workload when supporting families who have a loved one in a specialised palliative care unit. Recognition would include appropriate time allocation for supporting families and a review of nurse-patient ratios to facilitate quality care for patients and their families irrespective of the time of day that needs might arise.
Findings include data which demonstrates that the majority of deaths in the PCU occurred after hours and that nurses can spend up to 25% of their shift managing individual family issues. The study has implications for recognition of the complexity of nursing workload when supporting families who have a loved one in a specialised palliative care unit. Recognition would include appropriate time allocation for supporting families and a review of nurse-patient ratios to facilitate quality care for patients and their families irrespective of the time of day that needs might arise.