Book Description
Precise and accurate staffing is vital to healthcare organizations. Comprehensive workforce planning is the foundation for successful staffing. Healthcare leaders need workforce data and tools that provide visibility and actionable intelligence to drive the best possible resource decisions. A workforce tool kit that nurse leaders can use to maintain visibility into their overall workforce picture can drive cost savings and provide operational wins. Lack of visibility into workforce metrics and tools drove the development of a tool kit that would aid in addressing some of these issues. The tools included provided real-time, market-specific data that was used to drive decisions on how best to use contingent resources to fill gap times in the core schedule. Other tools aided the leadership in tracking contingent resources and using flexible contract terms to more efficiently use the resources, rather than being committed to longer assignments. In addition, applications allowed staff nurses to communicate with each other regarding their schedules and receive instant notifications about open shifts, increasing their ability to step in and pick up shifts, preventing reliance on expensive contract labor resources. This application also provided staff with easy access to scheduling information, creating an online environment in which to propose shift trades in lieu of calling in sick and negatively affecting the organization. Testing of the tool kit took place in an inner-city Level II Trauma Center validated that the use of these tools had a positive impact on reducing and avoiding costs and reducing sick calls on two different units reporting to the same department director.
