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A revamp in nursing practices is bringing staff back to the bedside and it seems patients are getting out of hospital faster as a result.
Until recently, the average nurse spent less than a third of their time face-to-face with patients and much of the rest was swallowed up by paperwork.
Twelve months ago the average nurse was interrupted 130 times each shift with things like phone calls and inquiries.
Auckland Hospital charge nurse Michelle Knox said it's heartbreaking as a nurse to hear a patient say they didn't feel like they could ring their bell because staff were busy.
Knox said the changes mean nurses appear happier and the wards seem less rushed.
"The relatives and the patients feel like they're getting better care."
The initiative, called "Releasing time to Care", was originally developed by the British health system and is driven by those on the front line.
Knox said they followed a nurse throughout an eight hour shift and recorded every minute of their activities. She said that led to streamlining processes like drug rounds and meal delivery.
And she said they found small changes such as finding a designated spot for equipment saves around 40 hours of nursing time a year.
In one district health board, nurses have doubled face-to-face time with patients. And in another, patients are spending 10% less time in hospital because they are getting better, faster.
