ArticleHuman resources for health2022
How to make the best use of the workload indicators of staffing needs method in determining the proportion of time spent in each of the workload components and its implication in decision making: the experience of the Sultanate of Oman.
Article in Human resources for health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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7 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Application of the WHO Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) method to estimate workforce requirements in Italian Local Health Unit Prevention Departments.BMC health services research · 2026Article
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- The Road to Developing Standard Time for Efficient Nursing Care: A Time and Motion Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) Method for Midwives Planning and Estimation at Asrade Zewude Memorial Primary Hospital, North west Ethiopia.Discover health systems · 2023Article
- Sources of Work-Related Stress Among Omani Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of patient experience · 2023Article
- Global experiences in health workforce policy, planning and management using the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) method, and way forward.Human resources for health · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe Ministry of Health in the Sultanate of Oman decided to have better distribution of the health workforce among all health facilities through evidenced-based staffing norms. Four directorates worked together to develop the staffing norms through making use of the workload indicators of staffing needs (WISN) method. The aim of this study is to describe the process of applying the WISN method in Primary Health Care institutions and how to make the best use of method in determining the proportion of time spent in each of the workload components and its implication in decision making.
methodsThe WISN was applied for five priority categories, namely, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and radiology technicians at PHC institutions. The WISN ratio has been translated into workload pressure as a percentage through applying the formula [workload pressure as % (in case of shortage) = (1 - WISN ratio) × 100%]. While the proportion of time spent in each of the workload components was calculated through making use of the category allowance standard, the individual allowance standard to determine the time spent in support and additional activities. The sum is subtracted from 100% to give the time spent in the health service activities.
resultsDetermining the workload pressure as a percent and its interpretation is based on the fact that one cadre or as a group can bear up to 10% of extra workload. Thus, managers can undertake sensible short-term arrangements or decisions in redistributing the cadres among the health facilities on expectation of deploying more staff. DISCUSSION: Careful and detailed analysis of the proportion of time spent in each of the workload components will allow to have better understanding of the context and dynamics of work.
conclusionDecision makers and planners can undertake rational short-term decisions in redistributing the cadres among the health facilities based on the workload pressure. In addition, they can as well as easily decide on the optimal proportions of time for each staff category, and hence choose what activities and tasks to be shifted or delegated to other staff category.
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