[Nursing performance in materials management in intensive care units]

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Hospital Administration

Context:

• Study conducted in four Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in major general hospitals in Salvador-Bahia.
• Investigated nursing practices in material resource management.
• Descriptive study employing quantitative and qualitative methods.

Purpose:

• To identify and analyze nursing practices in the management of material resources within a general hospital setting.
• Evaluate the extent of nursing involvement in the procurement and control of hospital supplies.

Summary:

• Nurses were involved in material selection and purchasing in only three out of four ICUs.
• Nursing participation in material forecasting and control was minimal.
• Lack of evaluation for purchased materials led to the frequent presence of low-quality or unnecessary supplies.

Impact:

• Ineffective material resource management by nursing negatively impacts patient care quality.
• Current nursing roles are limited to restocking, excluding strategic involvement in procurement.
• Recommendations for enhanced nursing participation in material management processes are implied.