The Effect of Lean Hospital Practices on Nurses' Direct Care Activities: Time and Motion Study.

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the effects of lean management practices on nurses' direct patient care activities and the interruptions they encounter in healthcare settings. The literature indicates that lean management enhances efficiency and improves patient care. Increased nursing time per patient correlates with better outcomes; however, rising patient loads and frequent interruptions hinder nurses' ability to deliver effective care, jeopardising patient safety. Addressing these inefficiencies is essential, given nurses' critical role in ensuring quality care.

METHOD

Using a single-centre, observational, pre-post time and motion design alongside participatory action research from August 2019 to July 2022, the study included three phases: a survey assessing nurses' views on problem-solving and lean management; observations identifying nurses' activities and interruptions; and focus group discussions. The results presented here are from the observation phase, with 34 nurses from surgical, internal medicine, and mixed services participating. Quantitative variables were expressed as means, standard deviations, and significance was assessed at a 95% confidence interval (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

Observations in 2019 (324 h) and 2022 (314 h) revealed that nurses dedicated a significant portion of their time to direct patient care, which increased post-lean implementation (surgical: 50.67%, internal: 50.09%, mixed: 44.38%). Waste rates decreased by 35.81%, and documentation time decreased by 23.55%. Overall interruptions also decreased significantly (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Lean management effectively reduces waste and improves direct patient care time, enhancing patient safety and care quality. Continuous improvement initiatives in nursing practices are essential for success.