Objective

To compare the nursing workload measured by the Nursing Activities Score (NAS), between intensive care unit general adult ICU, and specialized surgical, cardiologic and trauma type.

Methods

A literature review of the integrative type was carried out, searching the databases BDENF, LILACS, MEDLINE, and SCIELO, using the descriptors nursing, Intensive Care Unit, workload and Nursing Activities Score. They met the inclusion criteria 20 articles published in the period 2007 to 2017.

Results

They show a high workload in the ICU, both in general ICUs and in all of the cited specificities, the same with a NAS score> 50.00, especially the trauma ICU, which was characterized with higher scores 72.00 and 71.3.

Conclusion

In much of the research, the average number of nursing professionals calculated by the NAS is higher than the average number of professionals required by the legislation. It was observed that even in ICUs with the same specificity it was possible to perceive large differences in the mean of the NAS score, in this way, we understand that despite having the same specificity, the profile of the patient as well as that of the institution has its peculiarities requiring time to different assistance and consequently divergences in sizing.

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