A time-motion study was undertaken to find out the workload of nurses in medical units at a multispecialty hospital in Kozhikode (Kerala), and to assess the workload of nurses on direct and indirect patient care. A quantitative non-experimental approach with descriptive survey design was adopted with Von Bertalanffy’s General System model as a framework. Data was collected from 45 nurses through simple random sampling using a personal data sheet, nursing care time motion chart and nursing care activity categorisation chart. Analysis revealed that nurses spent most the time (53.9%) on indirect patient care activities. Only 31.9 percent of the total mean was spent on direct patient care. Also, 14 percent of mean time was spent by nurses on just walking when performing different patient care activities. Maximum time was spent on documentation in the patient file (18.4%) and other patient care activities (18%). Nurses spent 12 percent of their mean time per day on medication administration; the same amount of time (9%) was spent by nurses on handover as well as system work. Also, four percent of time per day was spent on communication with the health care team. Only little time (3%) than provided (8%) was utilised by nurses as personal time. Nurses spent two percent of their time each on official phone calls, procedure preparation and article replacement.. The authors are 1. Lecturer; 2. Professor; 3. Principal, all 1 to 3 are at Baby Memorial College of Nursing, Kozhikode (Kerala). Key words: Nurses’ workload, Direct patient care, Indirect patient