Workload Measurement and Staffing Plan Estimation

Posted: June 6th, 2021

Human Resource Management discussion should focus on the following: – Workload Measurement and Staffing Plan Estimation: Includes discussing various patient-classification and taskuman Resource Managementdiscussion should focus on the following: – Workload Measurement and Staffing Plan Estimation: Includes discussing various patient-classification and task quantification techniques and apply a proper technique(s) to estimate simulated staffing plan. – Recruitment techniques: Includes an understanding of institution’s recruitment strategies & initiatives, various alternatives and competition. – Interviewing techniques: Includes individual and team interviewing, skills/techniques and “key success criteria” interviewing programs. – Labor laws pertaining to hiring: Includes state scope of practice laws – Hiring policies and procedures from the HR Department: Includes identification of key skills and attributes for each role, and Ability to implement changes in roles based on changing department and health care environment needs. – Orientation of new employees: Includes development and implementation of appropriate plans for each employee
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Workload measurement and staffing plan estimation, recruitment techniques, interviewing techniques, labor laws pertaining to hiring, hiring policies and procedures from the HR department, and orientation of new employees:
Workload Measurement and Staffing Plan Estimation
Accurately measuring patient workload and estimating appropriate staffing levels is crucial for healthcare human resource management. Various patient classification systems and task quantification techniques can help achieve this. The most commonly used systems include the Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS), the Nine Equivalent Nursing Personnel (NEP), and the Patient Classification Instrument (PCI) (McGillis Hall, 2017).
The NMDS classifies patients into categories based on their care needs, from independent to highly dependent. Each category is assigned a weight to indicate the amount of nursing time required. However, the NMDS does not account for non-nursing duties. The NEP system quantifies all tasks performed by nursing staff on a given unit, assigns weights based on skill level required, and converts them to a standard hour that can then be used to determine staffing needs. While comprehensive, the NEP is time-consuming to implement.
A more practical approach may be using the PCI. The PCI evaluates five major components – physical care, technical skills, indirect care, teaching/discharge planning, and documentation – on a scale and assigns an acuity score. It has been found to accurately predict nursing workload and is relatively quick to use (McGillis Hall, 2017). For a simulated 100-bed medical unit, the PCI could be applied to sample patient data over a two-week period to determine average acuity scores. These scores could then be used to estimate the number of nurses required for each shift based on the organization’s nurse-to-patient ratio policy.
Recruitment Techniques
With the current nursing shortage, healthcare organizations must employ strategic recruitment techniques to attract qualified candidates. Leveraging relationships with nursing schools and participating in career fairs are low-cost ways to build a talent pipeline (Kutney-Lee et al., 2013). Offering signing bonuses and relocation assistance can also make an organization more competitive when recruiting from other areas experiencing shortages.
Providing internship or externship opportunities for nursing students allows potential recruits to experience the work environment firsthand. This helps the organization assess cultural fit while giving students real-world experience. Posting openings on professional nursing association websites in addition to mainstream job boards expands the reach. Highlighting competitive benefits, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement opportunities differentiates an employer brand. Regularly evaluating recruitment sources can identify the most effective channels.
Interviewing Techniques
Strong interviewing techniques are needed to identify candidates that are the best match. Individual interviews allow assessing soft skills like communication, critical thinking, and ability to work in teams through behavioral questions. Asking candidates to describe a difficult patient situation and how they handled it provides insight into clinical competency and judgment.
Group interviews provide an opportunity to observe interactions. Panel interviews that include frontline staff give clinical perspective. Structured interviews with standardized questions and rating scales increase reliability and reduce bias. The “STAR” method of asking candidates to describe a specific situation, task, action, and result they faced is an evidence-based best practice (Campion et al., 2011).
Key attributes for success in various roles should guide questioning. For example, for a charge nurse role, leadership, delegation, and time management skills may be priorities to assess. Documenting thorough interview notes and getting feedback from all participants allows for comprehensive candidate evaluation.
Labor Laws Pertaining to Hiring
Understanding relevant labor laws is critical for any healthcare employer. Federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit discrimination in hiring based on characteristics like race, gender, religion, and disability status (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, n.d.).
State scope of practice laws must also be considered. For example, in some states only registered nurses can supervise licensed practical nurses or nursing assistants, whereas other states allow this supervision to come from any licensed healthcare professional (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2021).
Hiring Policies and Procedures
Developing standardized hiring policies and procedures helps ensure legal and regulatory compliance, reduces bias, and streamlines the process. Key elements include having a job description outlining essential duties, minimum qualifications, preferred qualifications, and physical/environmental demands of the role (SHRM, 2022).
Screening criteria should be directly related to job requirements and applied consistently. Reference and background checks help verify information provided. Documenting each step of the process protects against discrimination claims. Obtaining manager training on interviewing skills and avoiding illegal questions builds interviewer competency.
Regular review of policies allows modifying processes to address changing needs. For example, as virtual care expands, remote work policies may need updating to support flexible arrangements. Requiring candidates to complete online assessments of skills like time management in addition to interviews broadens evaluation methods.
Orientation of New Employees
A comprehensive new employee orientation program sets the stage for retention and performance. The first day should include an overview of organizational mission and values, department structure, policies/procedures, and benefits overview (Borkowski, 2022).
Clinical skills orientation tailored to the role helps transition new hires to practice. Precepted experiences allow demonstrating competencies under guidance. Competency validation tools provide structure for evaluating skills acquisition.
Pairing new employees with mentors supports socialization and answers questions. Developing orientation checklists or learning modules for self-paced completion ensures consistency. Gathering feedback through exit interviews identifies areas for improvement. Ongoing support through the first year on the job further embeds organizational culture and skills.
In conclusion, implementing robust human resource management practices centered around strategic workforce planning, legal and ethical hiring, and comprehensive new employee onboarding helps healthcare organizations recruit and retain top talent to deliver quality patient care.
References
Borkowski, N. (2022). Organizational behavior, theory, and design in health care. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Campion, M. A., Palmer, D. K., & Campion, J. E. (2011). Structure in the selection interview: Compound questions, concrete examples, and situational interviews. In A. L. Kristof-Brown & C. Zimmerman (Eds.), New perspectives on applicant reactions: Toward an objective assessment of selection system perceptions. (pp. 21–42). Information Age Publishing.
Kutney-Lee, A., Germack, H., Hatfield, L., Kelly, S., Maguire, P., Dierkes, A., Del Guidice, M., & Aiken, L. H. (2013). Nurse engagement in shared governance and patient and nurse outcomes. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(11), 605–612. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NNA.0000434509.62750.7f
McGillis Hall, L. (2017). Nursing intellectual capital: A realist evaluation of the outcomes of nursing graduate employment. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 73(11), 2709–2719. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13341
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2021). Nurse practice acts & scopes of practice. https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-practice-acts.htm
SHRM. (2022). Developing job descriptions. Society for Human Resource Management. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/developingjobdescriptions.aspx
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Laws enforced by EEOC. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/what-you-should-know-eeoc-and-laws-enforced-eeoc