Technical and structural support systems and nurse utilization: systems model.

Abstract

There are two major components to nursing support systems: technical support systems, for the distribution of supplies and medicines to patients and for communication among hospital personnel, and structural support systems, for the organization of nursing staff-RNs, LPNs, and aides-into a systematic, working assignment pattern. Four hospital studies that used different combinations of technical and structural support systems were compared for the amount of time registered nurses were able to spend on direct patient care activities. It was found that a structural support system based on the primary nursing model, coupled with a decentralized technical support system, maximized direct patient care time.