Average length of nursing care in pediatric unit according to patient´s degree of dependence

• Grant number: 12/14344-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Medical-Surgical Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Fernanda Maria Togeiro Fugulin
• Grantee: Fernanda Maria Togeiro Fugulin
• Host Institution: Escola de Enfermagem (EE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Gaps in relation to the proposition of parameters regarding the average time length of nursing care required for the patients´ care in pediatric units, as well as studies using objective methods to identify the workload of the nursing team in these units, interfere and hinder the operationalization of dimensioning nursing staff, causing distortions in the prediction and to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate nursing professionals when assisting the needs specific to these patients. In this sense, the aim of this study is to identify the average length of nursing care used to assist the pediatric patient, according to the degree of dependence on nursing staff. This is a quantitative, descriptive, observational, transversal study to be carried out in a Pediatric Clinic (Ped C1) at the University Hospital of the Universidade de São Paulo (UH-USP). Participants of this study will be all the nursing professionals working in the Ped C1 during data collection and those who will sign the Free and Informed Consent Form (FICF). This research consists of four methodological steps, with different strategies of data collection: identification of nursing activities performed in the pediatric patient care (medical records and direct observation); classification of intervention activities , according to standardized nursing language (Nursing Intervention Classification -NIC); validation of the intervention / nursing activities (workshops), and measuring the amount of time spent on intervention / nursing activities with pediatric patients, according to the degree of dependence on nursing staff (technical work sampling .) It is believed that the results may contribute to the proposition of average length of time of specific assistance to pediatric patient, according to the degree of dependence on nursing staff, supporting the operationalization to dimensioning nursing professionals and, consequently, the quantitative and qualitative adequacy of personnel to safely and qualitatively assist the pediatric patient admitted into hospital institutions, as well as to contribute in advancing nursing knowledge related to human resource management. (AU)