Based on the scheduled RN/CNA/unit secretary (if any) – is the unit staffed appropriately? Do you have too many staff scheduled? If yes, who would you flex/cancel? Do you have not enough staff? If yes how would you fix this (consider cost as well).

Calculating the Proper staffing

Scenario – Staffing is an important part of nursing management as healthcare is very labor intensive. Since nursing is a major expense in any institution it is oftentimes the area where administrators will try to save money, sometimes forsaking quality and increasing the chances that there will be disgruntled nurses after a short time. The following scenarios are for two units in the same hospital so acuity levels will be the same. Acuity levels are as follows: #1=4.0; #2=3.2; #3=2.3; #4=1.4. The first unit is the ICU. The second is a Med-Surg floor.

ICU Unit

RN scheduled: 4

Unit Secretary scheduled: 1

• 6 patients = #1 acuity
• 2 pts = #2 acuity
• 0 pts = #3 acuity
• 0 pts = #4 acuity

Med-Surg Unit

RN Scheduled: 2

CNA Scheduled: 1

Unit secretary scheduled: 1

• 1 pts. = #1 acuity
• 2 pts. = #2 acuity
• 3 pts. = #3 acuity
• 2 pts. = #4 acuity

Instructions:

1. Calculate the proper staffing for each unit along with the hours for a unit secretary.
   • Be sure to show each step in your calculation with an explanation for each of the steps.
   • There is an explanation of this in your book on page 245-247.
   • Based on the scheduled RN/CNA/unit secretary (if any) – is the unit staffed appropriately? Do you have too many staff scheduled? If yes, who would you flex/cancel? Do you have not enough staff? If yes how would you fix this (consider cost as well).