Factors Affecting Nurses’ Time Management

Abstract

Aim: Efficient use of time enables nurses to succeed in clinical environments and increase the quality and efficiency of their services. This study was conducted to determine nurses’ attitudes towards time management and the ways they get caught in time traps. Method: This was a descriptive and correlational study. The sample comprised 550 nurses in two private hospitals, one public and one university hospital in Istanbul, and “Time Management Questionnaire (TMQ)” and demographic information form were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis (backward). Results: It was determined that nurses used their time in a moderately efficient way (49.3%). Of them, 91.1% were not trained in time management and emphasized getting caught in time traps due to problems with telephone calls and unplanned work. Education level (p<0.001), time management training status (p<0.001), and professional experience (p<0.01) were found to affect nurses’ time management skills. Conclusion: The study found that nurses were moderately proficient in time management, got caught in time traps, and needed to receive training to address these problems.