Nurse requirement planning: a computer-based model

Sistematização do conhecimento sobre as metodologias empregadas para o dimensionamento da força de trabalho em saúde

A força de trabalho em saúde representa um fator de grande importância nos sistemas de saúde, sendo imprescindível à promoção e ao avanço da área, relacionada quantitativa e qualitativamente aos resultados alcançados. Esta revisão sistemática visa à identificação na literatura de metodologias que, empregadas, resultem em dimensionamento eficaz da força de trabalho em saúde. Os resultados indicam a necessidade de complementação da avaliação, sendo indispensável a identificação de metodologias que resultem em dimensionamento mais eficaz da força de trabalho em saúde para subsidiar decisões gerenciais no sistema de saúde.

Estimation of nursing staff in selected hospitals of ilam and ahvaz provinces, Western iran

Background:

The nurses as the largest group among different groups of hospital workforce play a crucial role in success of the hospital activities and promotion of community health.

Objectives:

This study aimed to obtain an estimation of the necessary nursing workforce status in educational hospitals affiliated to Ilam and Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences based on the scientific formula.

Materials and Methods:

This research was a cross sectional-descriptive study, which was done in hospitals affiliated to Ilam and Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences during 2010. Using three researcher-made forms, data was collected from all clinical, para-clinical, financial, administrative and support departments of hospitals. Data was analyzed in accordance to the standards of Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education using the Excel software.

Results:

The results showed that the nursing staffs in the 42 wards (89.5 %) were lower than the standards, only one ward (2 %) matched the standards and the rest of the wards (8.5%) were higher than the standards. The organizational dislocation (utilization of nurses in non-related jobs) of nursing staffs obtained for Imam Khomeini of Ilam, Mostafa Khomeini, Taleghani, Razi and Imam Khomeini of Ahvaz Hospitals were 8, 5, 3, 8 and 21, respectively.

Conclusion:

Generally, the studied hospitals were faced with a lack of nursing manpower and distribution of manpower was not appropriate. Proper planning and management of manpower in accordance with the lack of personnel, compensates and achieves the standards required for hospital’s nursing manpower and this would lead to an increase in the efficiency of hospitals activities and can provide satisfaction for the nursing staff.

Measuring workload for tuberculosis service provision at primary care level: a methodology

We developed and piloted a methodology to establish TB related work load at primary care level for clinical and laboratory staff. Workload is influenced by activities to be implemented, time to perform them, their frequency and patient load. Of particular importance is the patient pathway for diagnosis and treatment and the frequency of clinic visits. Using observation with checklists, clocking, interviews and review of registers, allows assessing the contribution of different factors on the workload.

Health workforce development planning in the Sultanate of Oman: a case study

INTRODUCTION

Oman's recent experience in health workforce development may be viewed against the backdrop of the situation just three or four decades ago, when it had just a few physicians and nurses (mostly expatriate). All workforce categories in Oman have grown substantially over the last two decades. Increased self-reliance was achieved despite substantial growth in workforce stocks. Stocks of physicians and nurses grew significantly during 1985-2007. This development was the outcome of well-considered national policies and plans. This case outlines how Oman is continuing to turn around its excessive dependence on expatriate workforce through strategic workforce development planning.

CASE DESCRIPTION

The Sultanate's early development initiatives focused on building a strong health care infrastructure by importing workforce. However, the policy-makers stressed national workforce development for a sustainable future. Beginning with the formulation of a strategic health workforce development plan in 1991, the stage was set for adopting workforce planning as an essential strategy for sustainable health development and workforce self-reliance. Oman continued to develop its educational infrastructure, and began to produce as much workforce as possible, in order to meet health care demands and achieve workforce self-reliance. Other policy initiatives with a beneficial impact on Oman's workforce development scenario were: regionalization of nursing institutes, active collaboration with universities and overseas specialty boards, qualitative improvement of the education system, development of a strong continuing professional development system, efforts to improve workforce management, planned change management and needs-based micro/macro-level studies. Strong political will and bold policy initiatives, dedicated workforce planning and educational endeavours have all contributed to help Oman to develop its health workforce stocks and gain self-reliance.

DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION

Oman has successfully innovated workforce planning within a favorable policy environment. Its intensive and extensive workforce planning efforts, with the close involvement of policy-makers, educators and workforce managers, have ensured adequacy of suitable workforce in health institutions and its increased self-reliance in the health workforce.

CONCLUSION

Oman's experience in workforce planning and development presents an illustration of a country benefiting from successful application of workforce planning concepts and tools. Instead of being complacent about its achievements so far, every country needs to improve or sustain its planning efforts in this way, in order to circumvent the current workforce deficiencies and to further increase self-reliance and improve workforce efficiency and effectiveness.