Evaluation of the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) as a nursing workload measurement tool in an adult ICU

Abstract

This is an exploratory, descriptive, prospective field study with a quantitative approach carried out at a general/adult Intensive Care Unit in the city of São Paulo. Objectives: to evaluate the NAS - Nursing Activities Score - as a tool for measuring nursing workload, its use in measuring shifts, and its correspondence to the number of effective nursing personnel. Thirty-three patients, with mean age of 70 years (+/-16.5), were classified. Most were males (66.7%). Length of stay in the ICU was 17 days (+/- 20.4); SAPSII was 41.7 (+/-17.9), with mean probability of death of 33.5% (+/- 26.8); 63.6% were transferred to Intermediate Care Units and 18.2% died during ICU stay. Three hundred and ninety six NAS measures (shifts) were performed (134-morning, 132-afternoon, 130-evening), with averages of 55.4 (+/-12.3) and 147 in 24-hour NAS and mean of 69.6 (+/- 18.2). NAS performed better in 24-hour application than in shifts, and proved to be an interesting tool for patient and nursing workload classification in intensive care.