Nurses' knowledge and their role in selected hospital logistics processes: a cross-sectional study

Nursing as a profession is still changing, developing and seeking a place in the healthcare system. It also defines a new tasks and competencies in response to increasing patients' needs and changing environment. Nursing tasks include not only strictly clinical tasks, but also non-nursing tasks that are necessary to carry out the treatment process such as logistics processes. The main aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of nurses about logistics processes and to assess the perception of the role of a nurse in selected hospital logistics processes. An additional objective was to assess the frequency of application of the 7R principle (the right product, in the right quantity, in the right condition, to the right place, at the right time, for the right customer/patient, at the right cost).

This is a cross-sectional study. In the study, 152 nurses participated. The original questionnaire included a sociodemographic and logistical section, which consisted of questions about the definition of the logistics process and its understanding, respondents' participation in logistics processes, and the occurrence of logistics processes in the workplace. The nurses' knowledge was assessed through five questions, and the results could range from 1 to 6 points. Four questions were used to analyze the role of nurses in logistics processes, with possible scores ranging from 2 to 9 points. The frequency of the 7Rs principle usage ranged from 0 to 35 points.

The level of respondents' knowledge was moderate, with an average score of 4.67 points, and more than half of the nurses were characterized by a high level of knowledge about logistics processes (51.32%). The role of the nurse in the logistics process was assessed as moderately important, with a score of 5.91 points. The 7Rs principle was applied 'sometimes,' achieving a score of 26.67 points.

Although logistics as a science is not widely included in nursing education and practice, respondents reported a moderate level of knowledge and assessed the role of nurses in logistics processes as moderately significant, suggesting that logistics is important in the work of nurses.