Research project AP/17 (Research action AP)
The aim of this project is to develop a nurse-staffing module based on the MVG2 dataset. More specifically, the research project should lead to a HR tool for objectively (re-)allocating the responsibilities of the nursing and caregiving staff within the nursing unit of a hospital, on the basis of the MVG2.
The following phases have been budgeted by the project team to achieve the set objective:
1. Double Delphi procedure
Create a website
The construction of a website as a means of communication with the panel of experts throughout the investigation, with a view, initially, to adopting the double Delphi procedure (a subroutine that does not return a value). This affords the customer the option of filling out the questionnaires online. Furthermore, it gives interested nursing staff (= the response group) the chance to formulate remarks on substantive or organizational aspects.
Representativeness – panel of experts
The study will take a representative sample from: participating hospitals, departments and panel of experts, based on the following criteria: code letters – the size of the hospital – the linguistic roll. The purpose of this step is to achieve a good sample of the representatives of the Belgian hospitals. The panel will be composed of 10 people per code letter (code letters: C – D – (H*) – G and Sp).
MVG2 items versus nursing care
The project team, in close cooperation with the panel of experts , will separate the different MVG2 items (and explicitly delimit each topic), so that it is clear – as far as the real-time measurements (which are actual measurements of activity) are concerned – which nursing interventions do (and do not) belong to a certain MVG2 item. The result of this project will be determined in part by the opinions of the response group.
Create a consensus matrix
Based on the verdict of the panel of experts, it will then be decided which care items , exactly, will be timed per code letter. The purpose of this step is to gain a clear insight into whether the real-time measurements are best taken for one code letter ONLY or, alternatively, taken in and across departments that have several different code letters. The response group’s opinion on this will be taken too.
2. Taking measurements
Multi-Moment Recording (MMR)
Performing M.M.R. on several nursing units is indispensable to (i) determining the percentage of nursing activities ‘covered’ by MVG2 compared to the total time allotted to nursing and (ii) for a ‘rough’ calculation of the time spent on performing each care item.
Validation by means of real-time measurements
Taking real-time measurements at various nursing units is indispensable with a view to scheduling the exact time(s) for carrying out the items listed in the MVG2. These measurements are combined with the subjective views of the nursing staff about the workload experienced during their shift, and are budgeted to take 200h in all .
Feedback to the panel of experts
The third Delphi round in which the results of the M.M.R. and the real-time measurements are, via the website, fed back to the panel of experts and the response group, for the purpose of collecting their remarks and suggestions and reaching a consensus.
If the results between the respective measurements are widely divergent, we intend to call on the panel of experts (and the response group) to determine the causes / reasons and to make adjustments/modifications where necessary.
3. Design a measuring tool
Develop a measuring tool
Based on the results of the M.M.R. and of the real-time measurements, a first version of the tool is distilled. This is analogous to drawing up a weight scale expressed in terms of the time allotted per MVG2 item.
Create an electronic scoresheet
Create one (or more) electronic scoresheet(s) so that nursing units which do not yet possess an electronic nursing file, can be supported during a manual registration of the MVG2 with, as an added advantage, a simple table extraction to MS Excel.
4. First validation of the measuring tool
Pilot measurement
Take a MVG2 pilot measurement in order to validate the measuring tool at different departments (C, D, (H*), G and Sp) in different Belgian hospitals.
Fine-tuning of the measuring tool
By running through a ‘definitive’ weight scale of the MVG2 items, optimize the measuring tool in every aspect.
5. Reporting
Final report
The final report will consist of:
1. An MVG2 data analysis report, including the technical aspects and explanatory comment on the calculations and formulas. In addition, this report mentions the data conversions (inc. a definition of the MVG2 variables that are used) which have been implemented so far.
2. A data analysis report, a detailed technical manual and a user’s manual of the IT tool in order to bring about the objectives, namely an objective distribution of the internal workload among nursing staff.
3. Detailed descriptions of the MVG2 items.
4. Calculated and/or measured times per MVG2 item (inc. a new weight scale) and the related procedure.
Workload Indicator for Nursing : eindrapport
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2007 (SP1824)
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