Predictors associated with ICU nursing workload in a sample of records collected before and during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic: An analytical study.

Introduction: In recent years, the workload of nursing professionals in intensive care units (ICUs) has been described. Identifying associated factors may contribute to improving nursing care planning. Objective: To determine predictors associated with nursing workload in ICU settings using a sample of records collected before and during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study. A total of 97 ICU patient records were included. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed using robust linear regression, with the primary outcome being workload measured with the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). Results: The mean age was 57.67 ± 17.78 years, and 68.04% (n=66) were men. Statistically significant differences were observed between the pre-pandemic period and the first peak of the pandemic for variables such as disease category, ICU type, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and number of nurses (p<0.001). A difference in median NAS values was observed, with 60.85 (Q1-Q3: 51.8-68.25) during the pre-pandemic period, compared with 183.40 (Q1-Q3: 149.30-204.40) during the first peak of the pandemic (p=0.001). Discussion: The workload levels identified in this study are consistent with those reported in similar studies. However, the specific scenario examined has scarcely been described in the existing literature. Conclusion: The pandemic increased the nursing staff's workload threefold. A weak, direct linear correlation was identified between workload and SOFA score. The pandemic year and the presence of cardiopulmonary conditions were identified as workload predictors.