THE IMPACT OF TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS ON CLINICAL PERFORMANCE AMONG REGISTERED NURSES WORKING IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS

Abstract

Background: Time management is a fundamental competency in nursing practice that enables registered nurses to prioritize clinical responsibilities, optimize workflow, and deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care. In tertiary care hospitals Multan, nurses frequently manage heavy workloads, complex patient conditions, and multiple competing demands, making effective time management essential for maintaining high standards of clinical performance. Poor time management contributes to medication errors, delayed interventions, missed nursing care, occupational stress, and reduced quality of patient outcomes. Despite its recognized importance, limited evidence exists regarding the relationship between time management skills and clinical performance among registered nurses in tertiary healthcare settings. Objective: To examine the impact of time management skills on the clinical performance of registered nurses working in tertiary care hospital, Multan. Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 registered nurses selected through purposive sampling from five wards of the hospital. Time management was measured using the 30-Item Time Management Behavior Scale, and clinical performance was assessed using a 20-Istem observational checklist completed by trained independent observers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results : The majority of nurses demonstrated moderate time management skills (68.3%). Time management was positively associated with clinical performance (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), with the mechanics of time management being the strongest predictor (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). More experienced nurses scored significantly higher on time management (F = 14.3, p < 0.001), and the model explained 52% of the variance in clinical performance. Conclusion: Effective time management is strongly associated with better clinical performance. Integrating structured time management training into nursing education and hospital orientation programs, particularly for newly qualified nurses, may improve clinical practice and patient safety.