Intensive Crit Care Nurs . 2025 Workload in ICU nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Nursing Activities Score

This meta-analysis synthesizes data from seventy global studies to assess the intensity of critical care nursing through the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). The research reveals that a single patient typically requires nearly two-thirds of a nurse's shift, with demand peaking during morning shifts, new admissions, and the COVID-19 pandemic. By highlighting how workload often exceeds current capacity, the study argues that traditional, fixed staffing ratios are insufficient for the modern medical environment. Ultimately, the authors advocate for dynamic staffing models that can adapt to the fluctuating and heavy demands of intensive care to better protect both patient safety and staff well-being.