Measuring the workload of an integrated nursing team in general practice

This paper describes some of the issues involved in developing a methodology for determining nursing skills in an integrated general practice team. The authors’ approach developed a system of workload measurement, using audit instruments, which has enabled an analysis of workload across different professional groups of nurses. The instruments were enhanced and given face validity by qualitative data collected through interviews. This paper reviews some of the literature on measuring nursing activity and workload in primary care. It highlights some of the methodological issues, with reference to the findings from an analysis of activity and workload of an integrated nursing team in a fundholding general practice published last year in this journal (Rink et al 1996).