A Time and Motion Study on the Activities of the Staff Nurses and Health Centre Auxiliaries of a Secondary Hospital in Vellore District

A time motion study was undertaken to study the activities of the Staff Nurses and the Health Centre Auxiliaries in a secondary hospital who were observed for 46.5 hours and 32.5 hours respectively during their day shift work. The staff nurses spent 68.81% of their time in direct patient care related activities. The Health Centre Auxiliaries spent 59.3% of their time in unit related activities. Staff nurses spent significant proportion of their time 11.12% of their time in non clinical activities, whereas the Health Centre Auxiliaries spent 7.3% of their time in non clinical activities. The staff nurses were spending 17.6% of their in documentation, admission procedure 13.9% and administration of medications 13.9%. Staff Nurses spent only 10.82% of their time in assessing the patients. Out of the total working hours 12.92% of the time spent by the Health Centre Auxiliaries was unproductive.