Nurses spend 2.5 million hours a week on paperwork - RCN survey
Published: 25 April 2013
Nurses are being prevented from caring for their patients because they are drowning in a sea of paperwork, an ICM survey for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) revealed today (21 April).
The increasing burden of admin work on nurses means they spend an estimated 2.5 million hours a week on non-essential paperwork and clerical tasks - more than double the 2008 figure. This equates to an average of 17.3 per cent of all the hours worked by NHS nurses in the UK .
The vast majority (86 per cent) of the 6,387 nurses who responded to the survey said the amount of non-essential paperwork such as filing, photocopying and ordering supplies had increased in the last two years, with over half (55 per cent) saying it had increased dramatically.
In addition, more than three quarters (81 per cent) of nurses working in every setting surveyed said that having to complete non-essential paperwork prevented them from providing direct patient care.
Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN said: “These figures prove what a shocking amount of a nurse’s time is being wasted on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy. Yes, some paperwork is essential and nurses will continue to do this, but patients want their nurses by their bedside, not ticking boxes.
“We are encouraged that the Government has acknowledged this issue, and the ongoing review by the NHS Confederation is a step in the right direction, but urgent action is needed now.”
More than a quarter (27 per cent) of nurses said their workplace doesn’t have a ward clerk or administrative assistant who helps with clerical duties, and of those most (81 per cent) thought having a ward clerk or administrative assistant would mean they would be able to spend more time providing direct patient care. Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of their colleagues who did have help confirmed that having a ward clerk or administrative assistant meant they spend more direct time with patients.
Worryingly, the survey also found that if technology is not used properly it can actually increase the workload of nursing staff. Over two-thirds (69 per cent) said the use of Information Technology has increased the amount of time they spend on paperwork and administration and a quarter (26 per cent) said that Information Technology is not appropriate for the job they need to do. Members have told the RCN that when technology isn’t implemented properly, it can actually double the amount of paperwork for each patient. This is a particular problem for those nurses working in the community, such as district nurses.
Dr Peter Carter added: “Technology was introduced into the NHS with the best intentions, but when it takes a nurse double the amount of time to complete a paper form and then type it up on a computer, you know something has gone very wrong indeed. We need a smart, efficient and IT savvy NHS, not a halfway house that actually impedes the work of staff and takes them away from patients”.
Ends
Notes for Editors
1. For further information, please contact the RCN Media Office on 02076473633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media
2. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nursing staff and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.