Exploring nurse workforce flexibility as a solution towards higher patient throughput and resilience
Author
Thrane, Julie Thuri
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-06-30
Pages
43
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, om større fleksibilitet blandt operationssygeplejersker kan øge antallet af gennemførte operationer (patientgennemløb) og gøre driften mere robust. Undersøgelsen bygger på kvalitative interviews med perioperative sygeplejersker (som arbejder før, under og efter operationen) og certificerede anæstesisygeplejersker (CRNA) fra fire kirurgiske specialer. Formålet var at identificere, hvilke procedurer der trygt kan bemandes med krydstrænede medarbejdere (oplært på tværs af funktioner), og hvilke forhold der begrænser dette. Resultaterne peger på, at procedurefrekvens, kendskab til teamet, erfaring og uklart definerede kompetencer påvirker, hvilke procedurer der kan bruge krydstrænede sygeplejersker. Set historisk vurderes 48% af operationerne at kunne have anvendt en krydstrænet certificeret anæstesisygeplejerske, og 36% at kunne have anvendt en krydstrænet præoperativ sygeplejerske; andelene varierer betydeligt mellem specialer. Med afsæt i disse fund foreslås en køreplan i fire trin mod en mere fleksibel arbejdsstyrke: 1) etablere et solidt datafundament, 2) visualisere kompetencer og tilgængelighed, 3) kvalitetssikre teamsammensætning, og 4) afbalancere kompetencer i forhold til kravene i de enkelte procedurer. Forslaget vurderes at kunne forbedre patientgennemløb og robusthed, men det forudsætter integration af it/IKT, da kompleksiteten i organiseringen øges.
This thesis examines whether greater flexibility among operating room nurses can increase the number of surgeries completed (patient throughput) and make services more resilient. The study is qualitative and draws on interviews with perioperative nurses (who care for patients before, during, and after surgery) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) from four surgical specialties. It identifies which procedures could safely be staffed by cross-trained nurses (trained to work across roles) and what factors limit this. Key factors include how frequently a procedure is performed, how well team members know each other, staff experience, and unclear skill definitions. Historically, an estimated 48% of surgeries could have used a cross-trained CRNA and 36% a cross-trained preoperative nurse, although the shares vary widely by specialty. Based on these findings, the thesis proposes a four-step roadmap toward a more flexible workforce: (1) establish a reliable data foundation, (2) visualize competencies and availability, (3) ensure quality in team composition, and (4) balance staff competencies with the demands of each procedure. The approach is expected to improve patient throughput and resilience, but only if supported by integrated ICT, because it increases organizational complexity.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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