Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong MK, Ng YB
Affiliation :
Medicine & Geriatrics,United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
The Department of Medicine and Geriatrics (M&G) has reached its capacity. The worst condition occurs frequently in winter flu season. Nurses are under great pressure in the M&G Department. To relieve the heavy workload, agency nurses were recruited for M&G to share out simple caring tasks and alleviate clinical workload.
Objectives :
The aim of this program is to organize and allocate extra manpower from agency companies to twelve inpatient wards in the Department. The objectives are as follows: 1. To relieve the work pressure of frontline nurses in different wards 2. To ensure patients’ safety and provide satisfactory care by agency nurses 3. To express our compliments for agency nurses who report their duties 4. To evaluate the service of our Department.
Methodology :
The scope of work for agency nurses was discussed in the department meeting. The tasks include ward routine, patient observation, turning and escorting. The table of workflow and allocation of agency nurse was designed. Mobile phones were applied to enhance communication. Duty record books were designed to review the workload. Video for orientation program of agency nurses in M&G was made and will be shown to new comers. Special reminder were emphasized to the agency nurses. Feedback was collected in the department meeting. The attendance rate of agency nurses was monitored. A one-month data was collected to review the service before winter surge.
Result & Outcome :
From 30 August 2017 to 29 September 2017, there were a total of 228 patients who were escorted to X-ray department for CT scan exam in night shift (from 2200 to 0800) by agency nurses. From Dec 2017 to May 2018, 1 agency nurse for AM shift, 2 agency nurses for PM shift and 2 agency nurses for night shift were requested. The average attendance rate was below 36% in the AM shift, 36% in the PM shift and 52.6% in Night shift respectively. Meanwhile, there were a total of 721 patients escorted by agency nurses. Both positive and negative feedback were received by frontline staff. Conclusion: Although the frontline staff has to supervise and monitor the agency nurses’ performance, the agency nurses could complete the simple tasks and hence relieving the pressure in a busy clinical setting. Tailor-made orientation by individual wards and better communication between staff and agency nurses may increase the attendance rate of agency nurse.
Co-location with:
