By Valissa Yap

Do you know that nurses walk an average of 8,400 steps during a single shift just to retrieve supplies?

Nursing is one of the most physically demanding professions. Ward nurses in particular, have to perform a myriad of duties from the bench to the bedside. When consumables are required during patient care, nurses must walk to the centrally located storeroom at the far end of the ward to retrieve them. While this may sound inevitable, excessive walking reduces valuable time spent on patient care, and inadvertently affects nurses’ health.

Determined to improve nurses’ well-being and dedicate more time for patient care, Team Maverick initiated a project to tackle this everyday challenge. This initiative has also earned the team the Team Excellence Assessment (TEA) Star Award, a national event organised annually by the Singapore Productivity Association to promote innovation and productivity.

Before: Labour Intensive and Inefficient Routine

In Team Maverick’s internal observational studies, findings revealed that 28% of nursing activities involved walking to the storeroom to retrieve essential consumables.

“When we started tracking nursing activities in a typical day shift and the frequency of collecting consumables, the numbers were eye-opening,” expressed team leader Nurse Clinician (NC) Norwati Binte Hussin from Short Stay Unit (SSU). Each trip to collect consumables required approximately two minutes, with nurses collectively making almost 1,400 trips daily. This translates to about 17,000 hours annually spent on supply retrieval rather than meaningful patient interaction.

The process of constantly travelling between patient bedside and supply storage room proved not only physically exhausting but also mentally draining, as staff found themselves continuously being interrupted from patient care activities.

After: A Streamlined and Caring Solution

After a comprehensive internal audit into nurses’ workflow patterns, the team identified the root causes to be the distance between the store and bedside, and poor organisation of frequently used items. Eight frequently used items – urinals, bibs, vomit bags, micropore tape, electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes, kidney dishes, and incontinence sheets accounted for most storeroom visits, yet remained inconveniently located away from patient care areas.

Looking beyond relocating the storeroom, the team implemented a simple yet pivotal change: relocating frequently used consumables directly to the point of care. The team sought feedback from stakeholders and created dedicated supply boxes positioned strategically near patient cubicles for high-demand items. Each box was carefully organised with dividers, clearly labelled and equipped with standardised stock checklists to ensure consistent replenishment. Bulky items were also placed in trolleys near the supply stations.

Supply boxes with neatly organised consumables are strategically positioned near wards and patient care areas, with clear labels indicating they are for staff usage.

The results were transformative – trips to collect consumables reduced by 58%. The time saved for retrieving essential consumables dropped from two minutes to just 30 seconds per trip, generating annual time savings of 7,400 hours that could be dedicated to patient-focused care. The average step count per shift reduced drastically from 8,400 to just 4,500!

A post-implementation project survey showed 100% staff satisfaction, as nurses reported lesser fatigue and sore feet after their shifts. More importantly, the enhanced accessibility of supplies ensures timely treatment, improves emergency response times, prevents errors, and contributes to an overall improvement in care quality.

A Step in the Right Direction

"Through everyone's dedication, we changed an old way of doing things. With a new and efficient way consumables are now being accessed, we can provide better care for our patients and improved working environment for our nurses. We are proud of this simple yet effective solution!" shares team member NC Ann Chan Sok Theng from Ward 44 - Coronary Care Unit (CCU).

Through this thoughtful initiative, the team demonstrated how strategic thinking and an innovative approach to workflow optimisation has not only improved nurses’ wellbeing, but also elevated the standard of patient care delivery.

(L-R) Team Maverick and their facilitator: Assistant Director Chong Thye, Cardiac Clinics; NC Ann Chan Sok Theng, Ward 44 - CCU; NC Yang Ruiqin, Ward 56; NC Norwati Binte Hussin, SSU and NC Cheong Kelli, Ward 44. Not pictured: Peggy Yeo Meow Tin, Senior Associate Executive, Nursing Administration and Lirio Mary Rose Manalili, Senior Assistant Manager, Facilities Management & Development.