Satisfaction with nursing workload systems: report of a survey of Canadian hospitals. Part A

Senior nursing executives from a representative sample of Canadian hospitals were surveyed on their attitudes and views of nursing workload measurement systems. In terms of a profile of users and their satisfaction, the survey found that about 50% of hospitals were using a system, and that among those using a system, 70% used information from the system frequently or all the time. The senior nurse respondents were generally satisfied with their current systems; slightly lower levels of satisfaction were reported for staff nurses, with the most common objection being the perception that the systems do not reflect true workload. A subsequent article--Part B--explores senior nurse executives' needs and expectations for nursing workload systems.