Analysis
1. the correspondence check shows that operating theatre plan times, if they are based on ‘empirical values’ (e.g. 150 min/TEP), ‘reference figures’, averages etc., are predominantly (≈ 95%) incorrect, with the exception of < 5%. Consequently, carrying out the correspon-dence check does not result in any affiliation to a scale. If personnel requirements planning is based on such values, it must inevitably be unreal.
2. the Measurement check: The same full-time employee has performed two operations of 65 minutes each and one of 130 minutes each at the same time. Indirect proof: If the pro-perties of the quantitative reality and those of the quantitative image were the same, then the metric time formalism would have to result in: 2 x 65 = 130.
The following then applies formally:
If a full force is required for a knee TEP with 130 minutes, then only half the full force is required for a knee TEP with 65 minutes.
A false conclusion
Calculating staffing requirements using decimal times leads to unrealistic results. It follows that medical activity times must be described by types of numbers that are integers and indivisible. Ordinal numbers have such properties. These are numbers that describe the ranking of quantities. There is a one-to-one assignment of set element and natural number, understood as a rank name (1st rank, 2nd rank, 3rd rank…). These numbers do not perform any arithmetic operations (ordinal aspect). This does not change the number of OP-team members. The total number of full-time staff in the operating theatre wing is calculated using quantity operations with cardinal numbers.
The unusual consequence: Because operations always involve undivided full labour, decimal numbers are unsuitable as a mathematical representation. Consequence: The 4 basic arithmetic operations are unsuitable for calculating personnel requirements. Volumes are used for the calculation.