Abstract: Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Mother Health

Abstract:
Background: Evidence shows that PHC-oriented health systems in countries are more likely to achieve more effective and satisfied patients, which leads to better and more equitable health outcomes. A planning approach that ensures adequate and sustainable resources to health needs is however required. The essence is that quality of health services in the PHC area relies heavily on the persons who work in them.

Objective: To develop and validate an instrument that verifies the interventions carried out by the primary health care providers as reference for understanding the workload pattern and for staff planning.

Method: descriptive and quantitative study, undertaken at a primary health care facilities in the district of Leribe of Lesotho. The set of sequential steps stipulated in the Workload Indicators Staffing Need method was employed: definition of the professional category, type of health services and calculation of available work time; definition of workload components; identification of mean time for workload components; determination of staffing requirements, and interpretation of the data.

Results: There was imbalance between the present personnel at the PHC sites studied and the midwife and nurse staffing need as revealed by the WISN approach in both health facilities. Maputsoe health center was short 33 nurses, indicating a high workload, while Matlameng health center has two extra nurses. Matlameng Health Center's midwife staffing displayed a balance, whereas Maputsoe Health Center is without two midwives, indicating a heavy burden for the current midwife staffing.

Conclusion: To determine components of the nursing and midwifery experts' workload in the primary health care area, it is relevant to apply the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need technique. It is recommended that WISN is a useful tool in primary and family health services to support access and universal health coverage.