[A pilot study of nursing activities on the Chest Medicine Ward at KMCH]

The current study sought to establish a preliminary patient classification system by determining how much time nurses spend each shift on their various activities. In this way we hoped to determine the direct care needs of the patient. From August 11 through the 17, snap-shot observations on the Chest Medicine Ward of Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital were taken every five minutes throughout the day to evaluate nursing activities and health care needs of patients. After employing such statistical techniques as percentage comparison, One-way ANOVA on the collected data, we gained a preliminary understanding of the distribution, characteristics, extent and nature of nursing activities. The results demonstrated that the average working hours of the day shift and the evening shift are 8.13 and 8.05 hours respectively. The night shift may be as long as 8.52 hours. Our studies also revealed that the most demanding nursing activity is indirect care (50.73%), direct care (29.39%), individual time (13.73%) and related activities (6.15%) follow. In the direct care of patient, nurses devoted most of their time monitoring vital signs, administering medication, assisting in examination and treatment, caring for, and communicating with patients. On hygiene, physical movements and the clean up of body discharges were mostly devoted by patients and families.