Quality
Nursing Acuity Committee Leads Selection Process for Patient-Centered Staffing Tool
Planning nurse staffing based on the actual needs of patients has always been a top priority at the University of Chicago Medical Center, contributing both toward positive patient outcomes and nurse satisfaction. Illinois law requires hospitals to match the appropriate mix of nursing skill to patient needs and to convene a standing committee of nurses charged with reviewing the hospital-wide nurse staffing plan.
The Medical Center's committee, comprised of 50 percent direct care nurses and 50 percent nurse managers, has been meeting regularly since 2007. The Nursing Acuity Committee, co-chaired by Marianne Curia, RN, MSN, PhD, staff nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Sally Szumlas, RN, MS, director for Nursing Informatics, focused in 2010 on an initiative to evaluate and select software that could streamline the Medical Center's acuity-based staffing activities.
"Since it was formed, the committee has done a significant amount of research on evidence-based practices as well as best practices, so when we began looking for software, we used our literature review to guide us," said Curia.
Using those evidence-based guiding principles and an industry analysis, the committee recommended that four vendors come to the Medical Center in May 2010 to give presentations on their software. These presentations were attended by nurses and leadership from across the organization. Based on nurses' feedback and the selection criteria, the Medical Center brought back the top two contenders for a second look in June. Ultimately, API Healthcare was selected to serve as the Medical Center's patient classification software vendor.
"It was crucial to obtain the input of bedside nurses who are aware of what is happening on a day-to-day basis," said Brigitt Manson, RN, BSN, a pediatric nurse on Comer 5, adding that her unit has been effective at acuity-based staffing. "The software will enhance our communication about staffing and simplify the process."
API Healthcare describes its solution as a data-driven program that was developed by masters- and doctoral-level registered nurses. The program analyzes clinical workload and recommends the most effective combination of schedule, time and skills to meet daily patient needs. In essence, it automates the current paper process and will make the planning and assignment functions more streamlined.
Nurses at the Medical Center will be actively involved in helping to optimize workflow, policies and procedures at the Medical Center and shaping the software. The Medical Center and API Healthcare will be working together over the next few months to design and implement the system as well as provide training. Implementation and go-live are anticipated for February 2011.
"It remains a high priority for nursing leadership to ensure nursing resources and expertise are aligned with the changing needs of our patients," said Szumlas. "Using a standard approach and evidence-based tools developed in our system, our aim is to enhance consistency and improve patient care outcomes."
