[Strategies in measuring nursing care]

When resources are limited, the balance between the supply and the demand of nursing care is becoming more and more necessary. This situation justifies the use of tools to measure work charges in nursing. This article analyses the relationship between work charges and time estimation in nursing care. From a bibliographical review on this topic it discusses possibilities and techniques of time estimation for the nursing care given to a patient, as well as the caring time he or she requires. Two different approaches and some conclusions from the analysis of both of them are showed: first; the direct method, i.e. that of measuring caring levels; and secondly, the indirect method, that is a system for classifying patients. The interest of the direct method is advocated because of its clarity, external validation possible integration in nursing care plans.