Defining, analyzing, and quantifying work complexity

Advances in science have transformed the provision of nursing care with processes that require extremely sophisticated technology to manage scenarios that were not possible until recently. Patients and patients' families are increasingly savvy about interventions and outcomes, and they articulate their expectations about both in their desire for individualized care. But the environments in which this very complex care is provided are often not modified to keep pace with the principle that form follows function. This article reviews the definition of complexity in the context of nursing care, discusses how complexity can be analyzed, and demonstrates the use of work complexity analysis to determine the skill mix needed for specific care environments.