Abstract

Introduction: Nursing activities score (NAS) has been earning ground worldwide as the nursing workload measurement tool in intensive care. Despite the growing number of studies applying NAS, it remains some misunderstandings in its use in nursing practices. Furthermore, it is slightly used to support management decisions.

Aim: To analyze the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) application during 2018 in an adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Brazilian university hospital.

Methodology: Qualitative descriptive-exploratory study was conducted with the NAS data fulfilled in an ICU during 2018. All data were submitted to a descriptive analysis.

Results: All NAS data reports had an average of 26 days fulfilled per month in 2018, although the average of a valid NAS fulfillment was 3.1 days. Items 1C, 4C e 7C in the nursing basic activities category were the least chosen in the group, items 2 and 3 remained constant, and items 5 and 7 were regularly missed. Items 1, 4 and 8 had frequently more than one of self-excluding subitems selected.

Conclusion: Despite the significant NAS use, it remains somewhat misunderstood in its use in nursing everyday practice, contributing to the lack of the tool’s legitimacy as a nursing workload measurement tool to support health managers’ decisions.

Keywords: Nursing; Workload; Intensive Care Unit; Nursing Activities Score; Nursing Management

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