Article: Organisation design in a nursing department: a quantitative and work sampling perspective Journal: International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking (IJPMB) 2024 Vol.18 No.3 pp.267 - 289 Abstract: The shortage of qualified health personnel in many countries is widely reported. This could get worse with increase in the demand for personalised medical care. This paper determines the optimal number of nursing personnel required at terminal (TM) and decision (DS) positions in a teaching hospital for efficient utilisation. The standard man-hour (SMH) available was computed for TM and DS positions using work sampling. A personnel utilisation model was adapted. The annual work content for TM position in the nursing department was 65,535.01 SMH. The size of the department was reduced from 89 to 56 nurses; hence, the unit can effectively discharge its duties with 43, 9, 3 and 1 personnel at operations, nursing sisters, matrons, and chief nursing officer positions, respectively. Personnel utilisation in the department was 94.73%. Thus, both work sampling and quantitative approaches in nursing workforce management appear effective in operational costs minimisation. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Organisation design in a nursing department: a quantitative and work sampling perspective

Authors: Ndifreke Udoh Ini; Babatunde Omoniyi Odedairo; Victor Oluwasina Oladokun

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 200284, Nigeria ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 200284, Nigeria; Industrial Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, 16273, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 200284, Nigeria

Abstract: The shortage of qualified health personnel in many countries is widely reported. This could get worse with increase in the demand for personalised medical care. This paper determines the optimal number of nursing personnel required at terminal (TM) and decision (DS) positions in a teaching hospital for efficient utilisation. The standard man-hour (SMH) available was computed for TM and DS positions using work sampling. A personnel utilisation model was adapted. The annual work content for TM position in the nursing department was 65,535.01 SMH. The size of the department was reduced from 89 to 56 nurses; hence, the unit can effectively discharge its duties with 43, 9, 3 and 1 personnel at operations, nursing sisters, matrons, and chief nursing officer positions, respectively. Personnel utilisation in the department was 94.73%. Thus, both work sampling and quantitative approaches in nursing workforce management appear effective in operational costs minimisation.

Keywords: work sampling; standard man-hours; nursing organisation structure; personnel utilisation model; human dynamics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2024.142148

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2024 Vol.18 No.3, pp.267 - 289

Received: 04 Jul 2022
Accepted: 23 Dec 2022
Published online: 10 Oct 2024 *

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Title: Organisation design in a nursing department: a quantitative and work sampling perspective

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