Documentation and the transfer of clinical information in two aged care settings

Pelletier, D; Duffield, C; Donoghue, J

Documentation and the transfer of clinical information in two aged care settings

Pelletier, D Duffield, C

Donoghue, J

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005, 22 (4), pp. 40 - 45
Issue Date:: 2005-06-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download full textAdobe PDF (536.3 kB)

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Pelletier, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Duffield, C https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6534-8743	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Donoghue, J	en_US
dc.date.issued	2005-06-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005, 22 (4), pp. 40 - 45	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0813-0531	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/6193
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Increasingly, documentation, both formal and informal, is being undertaken by nurses using a range of modalities. In Australia there is a sense that the demand for this in the aged care sector is increasing in line with requirements of funding agencies. However, the scope of this activity and its impact on nursing workload in aged care facilities has not been rigorously investigated. Funding of aged care facilities in the public hospital system in Australia is dependent on documentation of care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and time of day that documentation and transfer of clinical information activities occurred for nurses of all skill levels in two aged care facilities in New South Wales,Australia. Design: Work sampling of direct care, indirect care, unit-related activities and personal time. Setting: Two hospitals with aged care facilities near Sydney, Australia Subjects: One hundred and six nurses. Results: 16,395 observations of nursing activities were recorded. The transfer of clinical information between health care professionals comprises a large part of the nurse's working day. It comprised between 37 and 38% in this study, but the time of day in which it took place differed between the two hospitals. Conclusion: Documentation needs to be seen as an integral part of care by managers and clinicians. Both would wish to ensure that it is undertaken in the most efficient and effective manner to allow the necessary time for direct care. More detailed understanding may allow clinical unit managers to re-structure the workday in terms of documentation to achieve greater efficiencies or effective use of nursing time.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nursing Records	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Communication	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nursing Administration Research	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Geriatric Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Documentation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nursing Staff, Hospital	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hospital Departments	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services for the Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Organizational Case Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	New South Wales	en_US
dc.title	Documentation and the transfer of clinical information in two aged care settings	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	22	en_US
utslib.for	111001 Aged Care Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	111099 Nursing not elsewhere classified	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Nursing
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	22	en_US

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, documentation, both formal and informal, is being undertaken by nurses using a range of modalities. In Australia there is a sense that the demand for this in the aged care sector is increasing in line with requirements of funding agencies. However, the scope of this activity and its impact on nursing workload in aged care facilities has not been rigorously investigated. Funding of aged care facilities in the public hospital system in Australia is dependent on documentation of care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and time of day that documentation and transfer of clinical information activities occurred for nurses of all skill levels in two aged care facilities in New South Wales,Australia. Design: Work sampling of direct care, indirect care, unit-related activities and personal time. Setting: Two hospitals with aged care facilities near Sydney, Australia Subjects: One hundred and six nurses. Results: 16,395 observations of nursing activities were recorded. The transfer of clinical information between health care professionals comprises a large part of the nurse's working day. It comprised between 37 and 38% in this study, but the time of day in which it took place differed between the two hospitals. Conclusion: Documentation needs to be seen as an integral part of care by managers and clinicians. Both would wish to ensure that it is undertaken in the most efficient and effective manner to allow the necessary time for direct care. More detailed understanding may allow clinical unit managers to re-structure the workday in terms of documentation to achieve greater efficiencies or effective use of nursing time.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/6193