1Department of Nursing, Gachon University of Medicine and Science 2Department of Nursing, Kyungwon University 3College of Nursing, Seoul National University 4Department of Nursing, Hanyang University 5Department of Nursing, Taejon University 6Department of Nursing, Dongshin University 7Department of Nursing, Kangnung National University
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance, difficulty, and frequency of work (duties and tasks) done by nurses' in Outpatient Departments (OPD). Method: Data were collected using structured questionnaires, which included 11 duties and 92 tasks making up the OPD nurse's job. Questionnaires were completed by 286 nurses. Each duty and task was analyzed for importance, difficulty, and frequency (range 1-3). Results: The mean score for importance was $2.58{pm}0.29$, for difficulty, $2.11{pm}0.31$, and for frequency, $2.18{pm}0.31$. OPD nurses recognized 'patient education and consultation' as important and difficult. However, in practice OPD nurses reported the most frequent task as 'support for medical services'. There was a significant difference in importance and difficulty of duties according to OPD nurses' university degree (F=3.693, p=.026; F=4.089, p=.018) and hospital size (F=4.274, p=.006; F=3.154, p=.025). However there were no differences in importance, difficulty, or frequency according to clinical experience in OPD. Conclusion: The findings indicate that OPD nurses must be able to do important and difficult duties and tasks, especially patient education and consultation. To have time for these uniquely nursing tasks, OPD nurses need to delegate 'preparation for medical service', and 'management of facility and environment' to nonmedical health-care workers.
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