NUR 621 Benchmark – Staffing Matrix

Benchmark: Staffing Matrix

Financial management is important in every sector, including healthcare and nursing. As such, it is vital for nurses and nurse leaders to possess the required skills to make budgeting decisions concerning different functionalities, such as staff, based on sound financial management principles and compliance guidelines (Harrington et al.,2020). Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to develop a staffing matrix based on a 30-bed inpatient unit with the assumption that the beds are full. In addition, this assignment will explore the difference between a staffing matrix and a model, why it is important to use a staffing matrix in the healthcare setting, a description of the staffing matrix, and an explanation of how staffing can be adjusted based on patient census and patient acuity.

Difference between Staffing Model and Staffing Matrix and The Staffing Model to be Used

            Both the staffing matrix and staffing model are vital in the patient care environment, especially in managing the workforce. However, there are notable differences. The staffing model is used in the management and planning of staffing needs or requirements. Hence, leaders can know the number of staff required to help the facility achieve its goals and objectives. As such, it has parts such as the anticipated workload, productivity standards, budget constraints, and goals. Comparatively, a staffing matrix is used to determine staffing levels for a hospital unit or facility and includes elements such as the staff numbers, the number of individuals required for a specific period or shift, and the respective roles (Yinusa & Faezipour, 2023). Different staffing models exist. The model used is the nurse-patient model.

Importance of Using Staffing Matrix in Health Care Setting and The Budgetary Implications

            As earlier highlighted, the staffing matrix is important in the healthcare setting. One of the importance is that it helps promote care quality and patient safety by ensuring that the number of staff present is enough and qualified. The staffing matrix also supports the appropriate allocation of reasons since it guides the nurse leaders to use patient needs, acuity, and workload to ensure that resources are well allocated (Bettencourt et al.,2020). By avoiding overstaffing or understaffing, the use of the tool also fosters cost control. Cost control is also promoted through an alignment of the staffing levels with patient demand and budget constraints.

The use of a staffing matrix also promotes workload by considering patient acuity, nurse skills, and expected workload. This approach leads to a balanced workload, which in turn helps fight undesirable effects such as burnout. Its use also promotes patient-centered care by ensuring that the staffing levels used are in proportion with the patient’s needs (Bettencourt et al.,2020). Using a staffing matrix has several budgetary implications. For instance, it can lead to waste reduction and cutting of costs since the available resources are appropriately allocated. Such an approach also ensures that there is no duplication of resources, hence cost management.

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Description of the Staffing Matrix, the FTEs, and Sound Financial Management Principles Used

            The staffing matrix under consideration is that of a 30-bed capacity inpatient hospital, with an assumption that all the beds are at full capacity throughout the week. From the table, twenty registered nurses are required. It is worth noting that five serve during the night shift while the rest are for the day shift due to the higher demands of the day shift. Eight nurse assistants are also required, with half working during the night shift while the remaining half working during the day. Sound financial management principles that were used in formulating the staffing matrix are justification and flexibility. Four unit managers are also required, with two working in each shift.

Eight hours have been considered for the day shift; hence, weekly, 8×7 = 56.

The calculation for FTE for RNs is as follows.

Day shift: 120 hours (15 RNs) + Night Shift: 25 hours (5 RNs) =145 total hours

FTE for the RNs = 145 hours/40 hours per week  =3.6 FTE

Calculations for the Nurse Assistants are as shown below:

Day shift: 20 hours (4 NAs) + Night shift: 20hours (4 NAs)  =40 hours

FTE = 40/40 =1 FTE

The FTE calculation for the Unit coordinators is shown below:

Day shift: 16 hours (2 coordinators) + Night shift: 10 hours (2 coordinators) = 26 hours

FTE = 26/40 = 0.65 FTE.

Adjusting Staffing Based on Changes In Patient Census

            The patient census can be adjusted based on changes such as the patient census. If the patient census increases, the staffing needs are adjusted so that the nurses present can handle the number of patients appropriately (Riley et al.,2021). However, a lower patient census may require a reduction in the number of staff needed. Therefore, leaders should be aware of the changes in patient censuses to adjust staffing needs accordingly.

Adjusting Staffing Based on Changes In Patient Acuity

            Apart from patient census, patient acuity can also lead to adjusting staffing needs. When there is patient acuity is reduced, implying that the patients are more stable, they may not need comprehensive and elaborate care. Hence, staffing needs may be adjusted downwards, leading to reduced staff (Riley et al.,2021). On the other hand, an increase in patient acuity may require an increase in the staffing needed to support comprehensive and elaborate care.

Conclusion

            This benchmark assignment has focused on the staffing model and staffing matrix. In particular, the staffing matrix has been covered in more detail. A matrix table has been formulated to help calculate the FTEs required for the unit coordinator, nurse assistants, and registered.

References

Bettencourt, A. P., McHugh, M. D., Sloane, D. M., & Aiken, L. H. (2020). Nurse staffing, the clinical work environment, and burn patient mortality. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 41(4), 796-802. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/iraa061

Harrington, C., Dellefield, M. E., Halifax, E., Fleming, M. L., & Bakerjian, D. (2020). Appropriate nurse staffing levels for US nursing homes. Health Services Insights, 13, 1178632920934785. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178632920934785

Riley, Y., Stitt, J., Hill, C. M., Stutzman, S. E., Venkatachalam, A. M., Aguilera, V., & Ifejika, N. L. (2021). Implementation of the MATRIX Staffing Grid Improves Nurse Satisfaction with Rehabilitation Unit Staffing. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 53(4), 183-187.

https://doi.org/ 10.1097/JNN.0000000000000593.

Yinusa, A., & Faezipour, M. (2023). Optimizing Healthcare Delivery: A Model for Staffing, Patient Assignment, and Resource Allocation. Applied System Innovation, 6(5), 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/asi6050078

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