Nursing Chapter 14 Homework Data Examined The Panel Differ Organization And

Chapter 14: Managing Resources: The Staff

Learning Outcome 1

Explain the staffing process.

Concepts for Lecture

1. Staffing is both a process and an outcome. Staffing can be expressed as the number of

staff members required to provide care to a particular number of patients, or it can

2. Staffing decisions require consideration of The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Principles of Staffing by the American

3. Workload is a function of two elements: the number of patients and a measure of work.

Usually, the workload is determined through the use of a patient-classification system,

4. The staffing plan is the recommended skill mix of individuals needed to provide safe and

5. A skill mix ratio can vary between departments, but the factors that generally predict a

skill mix are:

a. Average daily occupancy trends and fluctuations;

PowerPoint Slides

1. Staffing

• Both a process and an outcome

• Expressed as either:

o Number of staff required to provide care to a specific number of patients;

or

2. Staffing decision considerations

• The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

(JCAHO)

3. Workload

• A function of the number of patients and a measure of work

• Usually determined through use of a patient-classification system

4. The staffing plan

• Recommended skill mix of individuals needed to provide safe and appropriate

care

• Skill mix

5. Factors that generally predict a skill mix

• Average daily occupancy trends and fluctuations

• Patient classification data

Figure 14-1: Master time sheet—4-week cycle

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Ordinarily, student practice hours are limited as far as the number of hours per day, and

what those hours are. Unless a student is employed as a caregiver outside of

coursework, he might not have experience with staffing issues. Staffing patterns

Reference

• Strickland, B., and Neely, S. (1995, March). Using a standard staffing index to allocate

staff. Journal of Nursing Administration, 25(3), 15–21.

• Marron, S. (2001). Staffing summit: Addresses gap between patient needs and RN

staffing. The Oregon Nurse, 65(4), 1–4.

Learning Outcome 2

Examine the staffing methodologies.

Concepts for Lecture

1. The development of staffing methodologies or plans guides the manager to determine the

appropriate staff configuration. Each plan has different criteria which allow different

productivity measures to be calculated. Nursing administration, with input from lower-

2. Descriptive methodology is a staffing pattern that is based on subjective data, meaning

the appropriate staffing pattern is recommended on the basis of the manager’s experience

3. Industrial engineering methodology is a technique or group of techniques developed by

industry to improve productivity. Techniques used include task analysis, review of work

distribution, and measurement of the staff work through work sampling and time-and-

4. Management engineering methodology optimizes the nursing workload by developing a

staffing index model. A systematic analysis yields a projection for an appropriate and

5. The expert panel nursing staffing method can be used to allocate resources and staff. An

expert panel, composed of nurse leaders within and related to the organization, is

appointed by the chief executive nurse to examine the separate divisions of the

PowerPoint Slides

1. Staffing methodologies

• Guide managers to develop an appropriate staff configuration.

2. Descriptive methodology

• Based on subjective data

3. Industrial engineering methodology

• Technique or group of techniques developed by industry to improve productivity

o Task analysis

4. Management engineering methodology

• Optimizes the nursing workload by developing a staffing index model.

• Systematic analysis yields a projection for an appropriate and cost-effective

staffing pattern using:

o Similar techniques of industrial engineering; and

5. The expert panel nursing staffing method

• Used to allocate resources and staff

• Managers are able to examine service and unit-specific needs related to structure,

process, and outcomes.

• An expert panel

o Composed of nurse leaders within and related to the organization

o Appointed by the chief executive nurse

Figure 14-2: Example of a master staffing pattern.

Case Study: An Understaffed Unit

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• Have students divide into groups of four, and assign a discussion leader in each group.

Reference

• Strickland, B., and Neely, S. (1995, March). Using a standard staffing index to allocate

Learning Outcome 3

Describe management’s role in the staffing program.

Concepts for Lecture

1. The role of Administration is to determine the staffing program for the institution. The

staffing program consists of phases for the selection of a staffing plan, including:

a. Phase One: a statement of purpose of the organization and the services offered, and

2. In addition to the overall staffing plan, the nurse manager at the unit level will implement

3. Economics dictates to what extent staff may be procured. Regulatory policies from

government to the variety of insurance plans direct, in part, the limits of how much and

what kind of staff is economically possible. Regulations about safety, infection control,

PowerPoint Slides

1. Role of Administration

• Determines the staffing program for the institution.

• The staffing program consists of four phases to select a staffing plan:

o Phase 1: statement of purpose and standard of care offered

2. Additional managerial responsibilities

• Implement the organization’s staffing plan.

• Determine highly specific unit policies.

• Policies should:

o Provide adequate coverage for shift and client needs;

3. Economic and regulatory issues dictate procurement of staff:

• Regulatory policies from the government

o Variety of different insurance plans

Suggestions for Classroom Activities

• As a homework or in-class assignment, have students create a diagram outlining and

showing relationships between the phases of the staffing program. How do the steps

flow into each other? How are the steps interrelated? Is there a definite ending? Have

students share their diagrams with the class.

Reference

• Cardello, D. (1995, April). Monitoring staffing variances and length of stay. Nursing

GENERAL CHAPTER CONSIDERATIONS

2. Have students complete end-of-chapter exercises either in their book or on the MyNursingKit

Web site.

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