The system of nursing care delivery on two wards

Abstract

The debate of which is the best way to manage nursing care has been going on for years. Literature suggests that there are four main modes of care, namely: task allocation, patient allocation, team nursing and primary nursing, each of which involves an evolution towards a more individualised holistic care approach nursing. However it appears that these care modalities are ideal types, and in practice nursing care is managed in a combination of two or more of these systems. Maltese nurses have just started to gain awareness of the various modes of care delivery and therefore the main aim of this study was an attempt to find out how nursing care is managed on some Maltese wards. The other aims of the study were to find out whether any nursing work was allocated during morning handover and whether there was a relationship between grades of nurses and work performed. Data was collected through observations of activities carried out during a morning handover and a morning shift on each of two wards. The findings of the study suggest that nursing care is organized on a combination of two or more of these systems. Maltese nurses have just started to gain awareness of the various modes of care delivery and therefore the main aim of this study was an attempt to find out how nursing care is managed on some Maltese wards. The other aims of the study were to find out whether any nursing work was allocated during morning handover and whether there was a relationship between grades of nurses and work performed. Data was collected through observations of activities carried out during a morning handover and a morning shift on each of two wards. The findings of the study suggest that nursing care is organized on a combination of geographical team nursing, task allocation and patient al location nursing. No formal al location of work takes place during handovers or afterwards but appears to be part of a routine. No relationship was found between grades of nursing and activities performed. Recommendations are made for nursing management, education and practice, as well as for further research.