Chapter 11: Staffing and Scheduling
A busy neurologic ICU and step-down unit most likely would use which
patient-classification system?
a. Factor evaluation
b. Prototype evaluation
c. Hybrid system
d. AHRQ system - ANS-a. Factor evaluation
A factor evaluation system is considered more objective than a prototype evaluation
system. It gives each task, thought process, and patient care activity a time or rating.
\A factor evaluation system:
a. utilizes financial data to determine number of staff-to-patient ratios.
b. utilizes DRGs to determine acuity on a unit.
c. combines interventions and time required for interventions to determine levels of
care required.
d. combines financial resources and nursing interventions to determine patient
contact hours. - ANS-c. combines interventions and time required for interventions to
determine levels of care required.
A factor evaluation system considers tasks, thought processes, and patient care
activities and gives them a time or rating. These are then used to determine the
number of patient care hours required.
\A nurse manager must also consider a number of internal variables that will affect
staffing patterns. An internal variable to be considered is:
a. organizational staffing policies.
b. state licensing standards.
c. American Nurses Association.
d. consumer expectations. - ANS-a. organizational staffing policies.
Organizational policies can put the nurse manager in a situation where patient safety
cannot be maintained or financial obligations met.
\A nurse manager must consider a number of external variables when preparing the
personnel budget and projecting the unit's staffing needs. An external variable to be
considered is:
a. organizational staffing policies.
b. staffing models.
c. changes in services that will be offered.
, d. department of Health licensing standards. - ANS-d. department of Health licensing
standards.
Licensing regulations of the state can determine staffing models. Staffing regulations
can dictate the number of professional nurses required on a unit at any given time.
\A nurse manager uses many sources of data when planning the unit's workload for
the year. Which of the following data must be considered in the planning?
a. Hours of operation of the unit
b. Trends in acuity on the unit
c. Maximum work stretch for each employee d. Weekend requirements - ANS-b.
Trends in acuity on the unit
Acuity levels are determined through classification systems, which determine the
nursing resources required.
\A nurse staffing plan takes into account:
a. specific nurse-to-patient ratios per shift.
b. participation of nurses in projecting staffing needs.
c. compensation and benefits for each level of staff.
d. the occupancy load of a unit. - ANS-b. participation of nurses in projecting staffing
needs.
Nurse staffing plans employ nursing judgment and flexibility that is based on acuity,
nurse experience, and unit configuration rather than set nurse-to-patient ratios.
\A particular classification system assigns revenue according to the functional
capacity of patients and the progression of patients during their stay in rehabilitation
units. More independent patient activities, such as prompted voiding, require higher
staff utilization than dependent activities but do not result in increased staff
resources. This is an example of:
a. bureaucracy.
b. concern related to the validity of classification systems.
c. inadequate reliability of classification systems.
d. inappropriate subjectivity in making judgments about staffing. - ANS-b. concern
related to the validity of classification systems.
Validity of categories and implications for staffing levels are in question in this
situation because staffing levels are not reflective of the levels of activity required for
patient care.
\A small rural hospital has been designated as a critical access hospital. It has 40
beds and an average occupancy of 34 beds. To prepare the staffing, the chief
nursing officer computes the occupancy as being:
A busy neurologic ICU and step-down unit most likely would use which
patient-classification system?
a. Factor evaluation
b. Prototype evaluation
c. Hybrid system
d. AHRQ system - ANS-a. Factor evaluation
A factor evaluation system is considered more objective than a prototype evaluation
system. It gives each task, thought process, and patient care activity a time or rating.
\A factor evaluation system:
a. utilizes financial data to determine number of staff-to-patient ratios.
b. utilizes DRGs to determine acuity on a unit.
c. combines interventions and time required for interventions to determine levels of
care required.
d. combines financial resources and nursing interventions to determine patient
contact hours. - ANS-c. combines interventions and time required for interventions to
determine levels of care required.
A factor evaluation system considers tasks, thought processes, and patient care
activities and gives them a time or rating. These are then used to determine the
number of patient care hours required.
\A nurse manager must also consider a number of internal variables that will affect
staffing patterns. An internal variable to be considered is:
a. organizational staffing policies.
b. state licensing standards.
c. American Nurses Association.
d. consumer expectations. - ANS-a. organizational staffing policies.
Organizational policies can put the nurse manager in a situation where patient safety
cannot be maintained or financial obligations met.
\A nurse manager must consider a number of external variables when preparing the
personnel budget and projecting the unit's staffing needs. An external variable to be
considered is:
a. organizational staffing policies.
b. staffing models.
c. changes in services that will be offered.
, d. department of Health licensing standards. - ANS-d. department of Health licensing
standards.
Licensing regulations of the state can determine staffing models. Staffing regulations
can dictate the number of professional nurses required on a unit at any given time.
\A nurse manager uses many sources of data when planning the unit's workload for
the year. Which of the following data must be considered in the planning?
a. Hours of operation of the unit
b. Trends in acuity on the unit
c. Maximum work stretch for each employee d. Weekend requirements - ANS-b.
Trends in acuity on the unit
Acuity levels are determined through classification systems, which determine the
nursing resources required.
\A nurse staffing plan takes into account:
a. specific nurse-to-patient ratios per shift.
b. participation of nurses in projecting staffing needs.
c. compensation and benefits for each level of staff.
d. the occupancy load of a unit. - ANS-b. participation of nurses in projecting staffing
needs.
Nurse staffing plans employ nursing judgment and flexibility that is based on acuity,
nurse experience, and unit configuration rather than set nurse-to-patient ratios.
\A particular classification system assigns revenue according to the functional
capacity of patients and the progression of patients during their stay in rehabilitation
units. More independent patient activities, such as prompted voiding, require higher
staff utilization than dependent activities but do not result in increased staff
resources. This is an example of:
a. bureaucracy.
b. concern related to the validity of classification systems.
c. inadequate reliability of classification systems.
d. inappropriate subjectivity in making judgments about staffing. - ANS-b. concern
related to the validity of classification systems.
Validity of categories and implications for staffing levels are in question in this
situation because staffing levels are not reflective of the levels of activity required for
patient care.
\A small rural hospital has been designated as a critical access hospital. It has 40
beds and an average occupancy of 34 beds. To prepare the staffing, the chief
nursing officer computes the occupancy as being:
