Patient allocation in a surgical ward setting : the management's perspective

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the nurse managers working in a surgical ward set up regarding the system of patient allocation as a system of organizing nursing care in their wards. The objectives of this study were to identify the management's knowledge on patient allocation; whether they think it is the ideal method of organising nursing care in their unit; what factors hinder patient allocation on a daily basis; what factors help managers to use such a method and what managers think about nurses' output and satisfaction when using patient allocation rather than other methods of organising nursing care. A descriptive, non-experimental design was used, using self -conducted structured interviews. A pilot study was carried prior to the proper study. The study included all the managers of the Five general surgical wards. A 100% response rate was achieved. The interviews lasted about fifteen to twenty minutes with each nurse manager. A sample of the population was not applicable in this case as all the population was interviewed. The tool has face validity and ethical permissions were collected. The main findings showed that the nurse managers understand that patient allocation is when a nurse is assigned to a group of patients. It was also found out that the majority of the nursing officers understand the importance of patient allocation and find that the lack of staff is the main obstacle in using this system on a daily basis. Other factors that hinder patient allocation were also mentioned and these include transportations outside the ward and lack of appreciation of this system of delivering care by the staff nurses. The limitations of this study included the lack of literature regarding patient allocation in a surgical ward set up and that only surgical wards were chosen, therfore the findings cannot be generalized to other wards in the health care system locally. Reccornrnendations were also made and these included the possibility of allocating the same nursing relievers to the same surgical wards, seminars and workshops for nurse managers and further research on the patients' perspective regarding the use of patient allocation.