How to translate nursing care into costs and staffing requirements: part two in the Zebra system.

The purpose of this paper is to describe part two of the Zebra system-the activity study: how such a study can be conducted, which requirements must be met and how the data are processed and can be used. The activity studies described were conducted in two of the wards of the oncology department in the University Hospital of Lund, Sweden. The results of the studies make it possible to calculate the distribution of different activities for nurses and practical nurses during 24 hours and the total nursing care minutes per patient and category of care. Together with the patient classification, part one in the Zebra system, it is possible to calculate nursing costs per patient stay and the patients'staffing requirements. It will be possible to relate nursing costs and staffing requirements to actual nursing care given instead of fixed standard costs and staffing figures.