Patient classification system to assist you with your daily staffing needs.
You are the charge nurse on the morning shift for your unit today. You use a patient classification system (PCS) to assist you with your daily staffing needs. (see PCS chart below) The following are the hours of nursing care currently needed for each acuity level for your patients this shift: When you came on duty this morning, the unit had the following patients:
- One patient in category I acuity level
- Two patients in category II acuity level
- Three patients in category III acuity level
- One patient in category IV acuity level
*Note You must be overstaffed or understaffed by more than half of the hours a person is working to reduce or add staff.For example, for nurses working 8-hour shifts, the staffing must be over or under more than 4 hours to delete or add staff.
| Patient Classification System (PCS) | Category 1 Acuity Level | Category 2 Acuity Level | Category 3 Acuity Level | Category 4 Acuity Level |
| NCH/PPD needed for day shift | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.6 |
| NCH/PPD needed for evening shift | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| NCH/PPD needed for night shift | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
ASSIGNMENT:
Scenario #1
1. Use the PCS above to calculate your staffing needs for the day shift. Show how you reached your calculation. (Display your math skills)
You have on duty one RN and one licensed vocational nurse (LVN) working 8-hour shifts and a ward clerk for 4 hours.
2. Are you understaffed, overstaffed, or staffed adequately?
Scenario #2
You will be in charge again tomorrow morning. You will have the same number of patients but the acuity levels will be the following,
- Two patients in category I acuity level
- Three patients in category II acuity level
- Two patients in category III acuity level
- Zero patients in category IV acuity level
1. Use the PCS above to calculate your staffing needs for the day shift. Show how you reached your calculation. (Display your math skills)
You have on duty two RN’s working 8-hour shifts and a ward clerk for 4 hours.
2. Are you understaffed, overstaffed, or staffed adequately?
Assignment Reflection on the process of Staffing and Scheduling
1. What did you learn? I learned that …
2. How did you learn it? I learned this when …
3. Was this an easy or a difficult task to undertake? Why?
