An Analysis of Study to Determine the Intensity of Nursing Care Required, Veterans Administration Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island

摘要

One of fourteen Veterans Administration Hospitals that participated in a study designed to seek an appropriate unit of measurement of nursing care. It was felt that, essentially, the amount of direct nursing care required by patients in various stages of illness might constitute the best measure. A second (2 day) study was conducted to test some theories regarding the original study, but in this hospital only. The observations made at the end of the studies were that quality direct care cannot be overemphasized and that rigid standards to account for all of the staff's time leaves no room for the badly needed warmth that should be exhibited toward patients. Final recommendations were that the observer method be used for future studies rather than the diary method; a study be conducted to determine the amount of direct care given by non-nursing members; and that a study be conducted to determine the amount of time spent in indirect care because it seems to be considerably greater than that spent in direct care, and may be more revealing.