Demonstration of sizing nursing staff methods in intensive care

to demonstrate the sizing of intensive care nursing staff estimated by two calculations, using the Nursing Activities Score as one of its central components.

descriptive, retrospective study that compiled the Nursing Activities Score scores of patients in five Intensive Care Units of a hospital in southern Brazil. Two calculations were used to size the nursing staff. In addition to other components, calculation I converted the Nursing Activities Score into minutes and hours; and calculation II used this score on a denominator corresponding to one nursing professional/day, considering two types of work shifts. In both equations, the proportion of 52% of nurses was respected.

in the 9,610 evaluations, the mean of Nursing Activities Score was 85.9% (80.8% to 96.4%). While calculation I estimated 164 professionals, calculation II projected 176 and 140 workers for five and four shifts, respectively. The difference in nurses between the methods was 18 professionals.

the choice of the calculation and the number of work shifts substantially interfere in the estimation of intensive care nursing staff. This may support a methodological review in the standardization of nursing sizing in this area.