Time management has significant effects in nursing. Nizar (2013) argues that “proper planning and good organization of time with the proper implementation of the plan and positive disposition towards wasting time gives us a successful and effective management of time.” Time management as a concept comprises of scheduled events done at a particular time. It refers to “the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity” (Qteat & Sayej, 2014; Hassanzabeh & Ebadi, 2007). When time is well organized, it aids in reducing the pressure and allows for completion of tasks efficiently and with limited efforts. Thus, each person must take responsibility and organize their time depending on what they need to achieve. According to Nizar (2013), effective management of time in nursing results in quality care, while doing more with minimal stress in the process. Likewise, nurses who manage their free time effectively experience less psychological stress and are bound to be healthier (Nizar, 2013).
Job satisfaction and time management are related factors and tend to affect the effectiveness of not only nursing but also the health care system as a whole. Therefore, nursing managers must control and plan for their time to reduce stress during nurses’ operations and as a result, increase the job satisfaction. This is because when time is poorly managed, the quality of work declines due to inefficiency. Moreover, it causes “burnout and job dissatisfaction” for nurses in general (Elsabahy et al., 2015). Against this background, this essay will discuss the importance and effects of time management in the nursing field.
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Working as a nurse poses numerous demands and one can feel overwhelmed if the available time is not managed properly. Therefore, nurses need effective time management to streamline their work. Firstly, the process of managing time must clearly demarcate “what is important and what is urgent” (Elsabahy et al., 2015). There is a consensus amongst time management experts that, in many instances, the tasks that appear urgent are not important. Despite this, the lives of most people are dominated by urgent tasks while the important ones are disregarded. In this case, all tasks must be categorized into four main classes, “urgent, not urgent, important, and not important” (Elsabahy et al., 2015). In the nursing field, time management can be employed as a tool for ensuring that there is efficiency in operations. Because of the importance of time in providing quality care, managers ought to assess their “attitudes towards time, analyzing time-wasting behaviors, and developing better time management skills” (Elsabahy et al., 2015).
In nursing, leadership and management are vital. When the nursing managers cannot plan for and manage time properly, health care consumers are likely to receive poor services owing to inefficiencies. Hence, the quest to minimize time loss in nursing is of vital importance. The process also results in highly desirable outcomes. For instance, it improves the ability to manage and retain staff, reduce work-related stress, and increase job satisfaction among personnel in the nursing field. Further, proper time management allows for “planning, scheduling, or deciding what the priorities are” before any exercise is undertaken. Nursing managers who are trained on time management understand how to set objectives, identify priorities, design work plans and generate to-do lists. As a result, the nursing managers are capable of setting achievable goals and monitoring their progress (Elsabahy et al., 2015; Hassanzabeh & Ebadi, 2007).
When nursing procedures are managed well and done on time, positive outcomes are likely to be realized. Moreover, nurses, like other humans, need time for hobbies, exercise, and other social activities. When they have proper and well-timed schedules, they will have ample time to take part in such activities which leave them refreshed and revitalized. Subsequently, this will reduce work-related stress, increase their motivation, and make them more fulfilled in their work. For instance, when head nurses undergo thorough training on time management, positive changes are observed in the operations of nurses (Elsabahy et al., 2015). Therefore, nursing managers have the responsibility of “managing the human and material resources of a nursing unit and taking the lead in developing the staff to provide quality patient care and a conducive environment so as to ensure staff growth and satisfaction” (Elsabahy et al., 2015).
Time management has numerous impacts on the work of nurses. Firstly, efficient time management plans assist in goal setting and prioritizing daily work tasks. As a result, one is capable of identifying what needs to be done first before handling matters of lower importance. Secondly, time management eliminates deferment. Procrastination poses dangers in the operations of a system. Developing a task list for each working day helps in handling health care procedures using to-do lists and reduces the likelihood of wanting to do much when time is short. Thirdly, nurses are more likely to develop when they exercise good time management. This is because work-related stress is reduced and the nurses also become motivated when undertaking their day to day duties. Moreover, with proper time management, there will be sufficient time for nurses to mentor other entry level personnel on work-related issues. Fourthly, proper time management presents nurses with ample time to engage in other activities such as sports. These activities help the nurses improve their professional life since they allow for interactions with family members and other loved ones. Finally, time management in nursing assists in reducing work-related stress. When nurses are less stressed, they will eventually feel fulfilled in their job. In conclusion, therefore, the importance of time management in the nursing field cannot be overemphasized.
References
Elsabahy, H. E., Sleem, W. F., & El Atroush, H. G. (2015). Effect of Time Management Program on Job Satisfaction for Head Nurses. Journal of Education and Practice , 6 (32), 36-44.
Hassanzabeh, R., & Ebadi, A. G. (2007). Measure the share of the effective factors and time management. World Applied Sciences Journal , 2 (3), 168-174.
Nizar, S. B. (2013). Time management in nursing work. University of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
Qteat, M. M., & Sayej, S. (2014). Factors Affecting Time Management and Nurses’ Performance in Hebron Hospitals. Journal of Education and Practice, 5 (35), 41-58.
