PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Workload”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 955 records · Page 53Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Physiological and subjective measures of workload when shovelling with a conventional and two-handled ('levered') shovel.

Previous studies have suggested that the two-handled (levered) shovel is advantageous over the conventional spade from a biomechanical point of view. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether less energy was consumed while shovelling a load of sand with this shovel compared to a conventional tool. Accordingly, an experiment was designed in which subjects (n = 10) shovelled 1815 kg sand under laboratory conditions using either a conventional or a levered shovel. Heart rate and oxygen consumption were measured continuously during the trial and subjective data on perceived exertion, general fatigue and body discomfort were recorded after the trial. Although total energy expenditure was similar under both conditions (120 +/- 20 and 125 +/- 25 kcal; conventional versus two-handled spade), average heart rate was 4% higher when the two-handled shovel was used (p < 0.05). In addition, the mass of sand per scoop was 4% less with the two-handled shovel (p < 0.05). In conclusion, subjects used similar energy expenditure to shovel 1815 kg sand with the conventional shovel and the two-handled tool despite lower mass of sand per scoop with the latter. This can be explained by the fact that the increased mass of the additional handle compensated for the lower mass of sand per scoop. The higher average heart rate while shovelling with the two-handled shovel can be explained by the more erect posture.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Ovarian cancer death reduction for women at high risk: workload implications for gynaecology services.

Ovarian cancer spreads early, presents late and is difficult to cure. Reducing death rates from ovarian malignancy has focussed on the unaffected females of families with a high chance of a mutant gene such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. We set up a familial ovarian cancer service in a district general hospital in the UK, serving a population of 330,000. The clinical genetics team acted as gatekeepers to the service. Risk assessment, ultrasound and biochemical screening and prophylactic oophorectomy were discussed. Gene testing was offered when appropriate. This study reviews the levels of activity for the first 8 years of the service. In all, 153 women were referred, of whom 34 (16%) did not have significant clinical histories. Of the 114 who fulfilled the UKFOCSS criteria for family history and age, four were quickly found to be gene mutation negative and 20 (17%) declined intervention. A total of 29 (25%) chose prophylactic oophorectomy and 61 (54%) chose ultrasound screening.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
PubMed2002

Ergonomics in practice: physical workload and heat stress in Thailand.

This study consists of assessments of the thermal environment and physiological strain in tasks associated with airport, construction, and metal jobs. The number of male and female participants was 108. Environmental heat stress was evaluated with the WBGT index. Physiological strain was evaluated by the relative cardiovascular load (%CVL) based on the measurements of heart rate. Also the increase of body temperature, weight loss, and perceived discomfort were determinated. At work sites the assessments lasted for 2 to 4 hrs for each participant. The mean physiological strain exceeded the level of 30%CVL. Severe peaks (over 60% CVL) were observed in specific tasks being in agreement with perceived discomfort ratings. The increase of body temperature and weight loss in most cases remained within acceptable limits. For the most strenuous tasks, various ergonomic improvements were developed in consultation with workers and managers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The measurement of a case manager's workload burden.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this activity was to develop an appropriate scale to accurately assess the level of clinical load carried by each case manager at the Royal Brisbane Hospital Integrated Mental Health Service. METHOD: A survey of, and consultation with, case managers over a period of 15 months was used to gather data and modify the monitoring tool for future use in the service. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Analysis of the data gathered revealed the level of case managers' work load burden and the depth of need required by clients. Professionally the Clinical Load Monitoring scores have been used in the allocation of additional cases for case management and in the supervision by discipline seniors. Service management has used the Clinical Load Monitoring Scale by dividing individual caseloads into low, medium and heavy service users - with low service users being further investigated for discharge from the service. Heavy service users were assessed for entry into more intensive treatment areas.

Burnout, Professional↗
PubMed2005

Improved communication between doctors and with managers would benefit professional integrity and reduce the occupational medicine workload.

BACKGROUND: Professional expectations for communication skills are explicit. These skills are needed for professional integrity and personal morale. Nevertheless, occupational physicians see doctors as patients for whom communication among between doctors and with their managers are the principal cause of their presenting health problems. AIM: To describe the frameworks of professionalism in medicine and the duty to care for good communication; present issues surrounding competency in communication skills; identify health problems among doctors associated with poor communication; and consider roles of economic appraisal and preventive strategies. METHOD: A literature review identified key publications of professional expectations and requirements of doctors for their communication skills. Health problems among doctors associated with poor communication and presenting at least twice in a National Health Service (NHS) occupational health (OH) department during January-December 2002, were sought by manual retrieval of all doctor-patient records. The categories of communication difficulty were agreed in the focus group discussion of the presenting problems with occupational physicians. RESULTS: Nine categories of communication difficulties among doctors resulting in their presentation in OH departments with health problems were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Personal health problems caused by poor communication involve considerable time and potential litigation costs. Doctors need to be reminded of their responsibilities. Opportunity cost studies would help to strengthen an evidence base for the need of doctors to adhere to the professional requirements of good communication skills.

Communication↗
PubMed1991

Trends in morbidity and general practitioners' workload for middle-aged and elderly people from 1956 to 1982.

This paper presents analysis of the National Morbidity Surveys carried out in 1956, 1972 and 1982. Over this period an increasing proportion of middle-aged and elderly patients consulted their general practitioners (GPs) and the average patient consulted for more illnesses. This rise in reported morbidity, particularly for circulatory and musculo-skeletal illnesses, occurred during a period of decline in the mortality rate, which suggests that the latter is a poor indicator of population health. The sharp reduction in the consultation rate between 1956 and 1972 suggests that GPs were limiting their role to primary assessment. However, despite a resurgence in the total number of consultations by 1982, the rapid increase in morbidity between 1972 and 1982 further eroded the levels of consultation per episode of illness. Given that the age-structure of the elderly population is gradually shifting upwards and that each generation reports more illness than its predecessor, GPs can expect to face increasing levels of demand for services from elderly patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

The effect of teaching medical students on private practitioners' workloads.

BACKGROUND: The costs in time and money of medical student education for family physicians in private practice is uncertain, with the literature containing conflicting reports. METHOD: Questionnaires were mailed in 1992-93 to 56 primary care physicians who had taught third- or fourth-year students during the previous academic year in fulfillment of the students' required four-week family medicine preceptorships at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. RESULTS: Forty-six physicians responded. The physicians had been preceptors for 74 students. Most of the physicians reported increases in time spent at work (mean of 46 minutes per day, standard deviation of 32 minutes) when a student was present in their practices. Only five noted decreases in billed charges. CONCLUSION: The preceptors were consistent in their indications that having students in their offices increased their time at work. This suggests that teaching medical students places a substantial temporal burden on private practitioners.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2006

The evolution of an ambulatory nursing intensity system: measuring nursing workload in a day hospital setting.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a methodology for developing a user-friendly, environmentally specific nursing intensity measurement tool. BACKGROUND: Nursing intensity measurement systems assess the demand for nursing care in a given setting and must adapt to changes in technology, patient populations, and treatment profiles. Nowhere is this more evident than in a clinical research setting where demands for nursing care are driven by changing patient populations and new biomedical research protocols. This article traces the extension of an adult oncology ambulatory nursing intensity system at the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, into 3 day hospitals: medical surgical, pediatrics, and hematology/oncology. METHODS: A team of stakeholders including nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists, and senior clinical research nurses was assembled. Descriptions of clinical research care for each day hospital were developed and organized into 6 levels with their associated time frames. Descriptions were reviewed by 2 content specialists, and a content validity index quantified the extent of their agreement. A weighted kappa statistic was used to measure interrater reliability. RESULTS: A content validity index of .87 indicated a high level of agreement between specialists. The weighted kappa statistic was .80, demonstrating substantial agreement between 2 raters. CONCLUSION: This ambulatory nursing intensity tool proved to be adaptable to heterogeneous patient populations.

Day Care, Medical↗