Despite that term nursing productivity is an old concept used daily by nurse executives, there is little clarity and consistency in how it is used [ 6].
Hall (2003) assessed the contribution of knowledge and skill, and factors such as organizational trust and commitment on nursing productivity [ 3].
Also, nursing productivity was defined as equilibrium between demand for and supply of services and managing cost structure of a system by integration of financial and clinical processes and providing good care in a cost-effective manner.
They have been strongly associated with nursing productivity [ 24], absenteeism and presenteeism (attending work while sick) [ 25]; with poor work performance, reduced productivity, workplace errors, decreased quality of patient care and low levels of patient satisfaction [ 26].
Delegating nurses to nursing roles not in line with their qualifications or nurses' working in other sections restricts appropriate human resource distribution, resulting in low nursing productivity and inappropriate patient care.
All authors are employed by Health Workforce Australia, the organisation which conducted the workforce projections and is funding and managing the Nursing Productivity and Retention Project and the National Medical Training Network, and is the organisation that is financing the manuscript.
