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Debate: When one task is moved, ten new disruptions can arise

Oppgavedeling trekkes ofte fram som en løsning på personellmangelen i helsetjenesten. Men hva skjer i praksis når oppgaver flyttes fra sykepleiere til annet helsepersonell?

REQUIRES CONCENTRATION: – When healthcare workers take on a greater role in medication management, they often turn to nurses for support and clarification. While this guidance provides opportunities for professional development, it also means that nurses often have to interrupt their own tasks, which require a high level of concentration, writes the author. Photo: Colourbox
REQUIRES CONCENTRATION: – When healthcare workers take on a greater role in medication management, they often turn to nurses for support and clarification. While this guidance provides opportunities for professional development, it also means that nurses often have to interrupt their own tasks, which require a high level of concentration, writes the author. Photo: Colourbox

In an opinion piece in Sykepleien, Stine Agnete Ingebrigtsen, a PhD candidate and advisor at the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, writes about an important paradox: task shifting can lead to more learning and better collaboration, but also to more interruptions and an increased workload for nurses. Findings from a new study on medication management in Norwegian care homes show that nurses remain responsible for the most complex tasks, whilst often having to guide others along the way.

The article highlights why good intentions are not enough. For task sharing to work, it must be planned, monitored and supported by the right skills, clear roles and good work processes.

Read the full article in Sykepleien