Commentary on the Past, Present, and Future of Nursing Workload Research

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to enhance readers’ understanding of research design strategies, past and present, for studying nursing workloads. Future research directions are also discussed. Nursing workloads are associated with nurse burnout and turnover. During our current global nursing shortage, researchers must identify ways to mitigate nurses’ heavy workloads. Relevant, prior nursing workload research is presented with brief descriptions of designs, methods and findings. To illustrate the current complexity of nurses’ work environments and the myriad factors that influence nurses’ workloads, this paper features the ongoing nursing workload research of two Canadian research teams with different methodological approaches. These two teams are employing current research innovations, such as human factors multi-systems frameworks, design thinking, simulation modeling and integrated knowledge translation. With respect to future research implications, the teams are melding methods and tools to promote a more sophisticated way of understanding the complex linkages between patient needs, systems design and the management of nurses’ workloads.

Keywords:

• nursing workloads
• nurses’ work environments
• synergy tool
• patient needs assessment
• human factors
• simulation modeling

Abbreviations

AHRQ, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; DES, discrete event simulation; HFE, Human Factors Engineering; iKT, integrated knowledge translation; LTC, long-term care; PES-NWI, practice environment scale-nurse work index; PPE, personal protective equipment; TMU, Toronto Metropolitan University; UBC, University of British Columbia; UK, United Kingdom; US, United States.

Disclosure

Dr Michael Greig reports grants from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, during the conduct of the study. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.