Complexity of nursing care represents an important indicator in the planning and management of nursing resources and healthcare management. However, the term is not clearly defined in the literature. The aim of this article is to outline the main concepts associated with complexity of nursing care, trying to shed light on the different variables that constitute it. We conducted a review of the literature and selected 12 articles. The terms associated with the concept of complexity of nursing care include nursing intensity, nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity and severity of illness. The literature review indicates that complexity of nursing care appears to be one of the variables of care intensity, the latter being defined as a commitment of care delivered to the patient. It is associated with the concepts of nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity and severity of illness. Understanding and clarifying the concept of complexity of care is fundamental in order to measure and evaluate the real demand for nursing care by individual patients.
La complessità assistenziale infermieristica è un concetto di forte dibattito nel panorama letterario infermieristico, poiché non vi è una definizione univoca in letteratura che ne descriva il significato e il contenuto. Questo rappresentando un importante indicatore nella pianificazione e gestione delle risorse infermieristiche e del management sanitario ne giustifica il tentativo di chiarirne i punti chiave. Scopo del presente articolo è definire il concetto di complessità assistenziale individuando le variabili ad essa associate e che contribuiscono alla costruzione del concetto. E’ stata condotta una revisione della letteratura e sono stati selezionati 12 articoli. I termini associati dai diversi autori al concetto di complessità assistenziale/“complexity of care” sono nursing intensity, nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity e severity of illness. Ciò che è emerso è che la complessità assistenziale infermieristica risulta essere sia una variabile del concetto di intensità assistenziale, intesa come impegno assistenziale erogato al paziente, sia che tale concetto viene associato ad altri quali nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity e severity of illness. Comprendere e chiarire il concetto di complessità assistenziale risulta essere una necessità fondamentale nell’ambito infermieristico assistenziale per poter misurare e valutare il reale peso assistenziale infermieristico per il singolo paziente.
Definition and variables of complexity of nursing care: a literature review
D'AGOSTINO F;
2016-01-01
Abstract
Complexity of nursing care represents an important indicator in the planning and management of nursing resources and healthcare management. However, the term is not clearly defined in the literature. The aim of this article is to outline the main concepts associated with complexity of nursing care, trying to shed light on the different variables that constitute it. We conducted a review of the literature and selected 12 articles. The terms associated with the concept of complexity of nursing care include nursing intensity, nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity and severity of illness. The literature review indicates that complexity of nursing care appears to be one of the variables of care intensity, the latter being defined as a commitment of care delivered to the patient. It is associated with the concepts of nursing work, nursing workload, patient acuity and severity of illness. Understanding and clarifying the concept of complexity of care is fundamental in order to measure and evaluate the real demand for nursing care by individual patients.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
