Abstract
The objective of the study is to analyze quantitatively the frequency of visits to patients' bedrooms paid by ward nurses, aiming at evaluating current ward layout/planning of general hospitals in Japan. The surveys were carried out in 42 wards in 10 hospitals. Number of visits by every nursing staff is recorded for 24 hours. Two different survery method were introduced. One is to record by observers, the other is to record by nursing staff themselves. Miscount ratio of the latter was checked in one survey by carrying out both method simultaneously. The results of the analysis are abstracted as follows; 1) Total number of visits in surgical wards slightly exceeds to those in medical wards. 2) 40-50 % in the number of total visits is recorded during day duty hours, 30-40 % in evening duty and about 20 % in night duty. 3) Great difference in the number of visits was recorded among staffs as well as patients' bedrooms, especially between the rooms accommodating seriously ill patients and those not accommodating them. 4) The ratio of scheduled visits to the total number of the visits increases in evening and night compared with day time. 5) The length of stay per each visit is 1.6-3.2 minutes on average. 6) There are considerable changes in the number and the length of stay according to the time of the day. The maximum numbers were recorded at around 9-10 am and and the minimum, 3-4 am.
