Abstract
Traditionally, nurse staffing practices have been based on a nurse-patient ratio model and have not incorporated patient acuity. More recent literature has shown that acuity-based staffing can improve patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. The Emergency Department (ED) is an area that has fluctuating patient acuity and volume. To incorporate acuity in to staffing in the ED, the acuity mix over the past year can be used to calculate required nursing hours, therefore providing the number of required nurses for that facility. The calculated number of staff can then be distributed over a 24 hour period. By incorporating acuity in to staffing, hospitals can ensure adequate staffing levels to maximize savings and promote improved patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.
Date of publication
Spring 4-24-2020
Document Type
MSN Capstone Project
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/2605
Degree
Masters in Nursing Administration
Recommended Citation
Long, Natalie, "Acuity-Based Staffing: Improving Patient Outcomes and Staff Satisfaction" (2020). MSN Capstone Projects. Paper 8.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/2605