STAFFING FOR PATIENTS, NOT BEDS

摘要

A mid-atlantic hospital knew it was overstaffed, but it needed industrial engineering expertise to quantify what staffing levels were required to serve the actual number of patients in the hospital. The teaching medical center had more than 6,000 total staff and 16 inpatient nursing units. The highest volume inpatient service lines are maternal and infant services and behavioral health services, but the medical center offers many other services in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The nursing units were staffed with approximately 455 registered nurses, 61 licensed practical nurses, 215 patient care technicians and nine psychiatry technicians.