Workload Indicator Staff Need (WISN) as Workload Management Strategies for Health Workers: Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Health workers are at a high risk of experiencing severe distress, burnout, and both mental and physical illness. This could affect hospital outcomes, such as the quality and patient safety. Burnout among health care workers, mainly medical staff, was becoming an occupational hazard, with its rate reaching between 25% and 75% in some clinical specialties. Health managers need an effective, systematic way to make staffing decisions if they are to manage their valuable human resources well. The workload indicators of staffing need is such a method. This study aims to analyze theoretically workload indicator staff need (WISN) as workload management strategy for health workers.
Research Methods: The research method uses a literature study, by carrying out several steps, such as collecting data sources, reducing data and drawing conclusions. Data collection was carried out through secondary data from previously conducted research.
Finding/Results: The WISN method can be applied for all types of healthcare facilities in all sectors – government, nongovernmental organization (NGO) and private – and for all
personnel categories, including nonmedical ones. The WISN method is based on a health worker’s workload, with activity time standards applied for each workload component. WISN is an effective tool as a workload management strategy in healthcare facilities. However, there are challenges and unforeseen factors that can affect WISN results.