Perceived Workload of Nurses Scale – PWNS
Measures the subjectively perceived workload of nursing staff across coordination/information problems and psychophysical overload.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Perceived Workload of Nurses Scale – PWNS was developed by Bartholomeyczik, Bartholomeyczik, Beckmann & Bernhard (1974). It is designed to measure Perceived Workload. The scale is intended for use with Nurses.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Coordination and Information Problems, Psychophysical Overload.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination and Information Problems | 4,6,8,9,10,11,12 | 7 |
| Psychophysical Overload | 1,2,3,5,7 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Rarely, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Frequently, 5 = Always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 12 to 60. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Workload: 12 – 28
- Moderate Perceived Workload: 29 – 44
- High Perceived Workload: 45 – 60
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's Alpha = .72 to .83.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.