22.04.13
Pushing paper
The public see nursing as a caring profession, where staff are constantly looking after patients and administering clinical care. But what about the other work, the gritty administration that every profession is having to manage more and more of?
Paperwork is not considered heroic and is frequently discounted as a ‘non-essential’ part of nurses’ role. The amount of hours nurses are currently spending on these tasks is indeed alarming, particularly when staff cuts and increased demand continue to stretch services.
Is there too much red tape in the NHS? The answer is almost resoundingly yes – it is a huge organisation with huge responsibility. There will always have to be some form of non-clinical work to keep it running smoothly.
The key is finding the right balance between admin and more traditional patient care.
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