Work redesign in the intensive care unit setting.

Abstract

One of the most challenging things that health care providers can be asked to do is change the way that they practice. This article describes such a scenario. The staff of one particular surgical intensive care unit, caring primarily for open-heart surgery patients, has been challenged to increase its nurse:patient ratio without compromising the quality care that staff has been accustomed to providing. This article reviews the process of data gathering, the evaluation of data, and the implementation of the nurse:patient ratio changes. It also describes the outcome criteria used to evaluate the practice changes.