Staffing Matrix
Benchmark - Staffing Matrix
Assessment Description
The purpose of this assignment is to prepare you to make budgeting decisions regarding staffing based on sound financial management principles and compliance guidelines.
For this assignment, you are the nurse leader of your unit and have to account for all staffing. Using sound financial management principles, develop a Staffing Matrix that includes labor hours using Excel. (Chapter 6 in your textbook provides an example to follow.)
You may choose to develop your Staffing Matrix based on your current work setting or on a 30-bed inpatient unit. Develop your matrix as though all beds are full.
After completing the Staffing Matrix, write a 750- to 1,000-word essay addressing the following:
Describe the difference between a staffing model and a staffing matrix. Explain which type of staffing model you are using.
Explain why it is important to use a staffing matrix in your health care setting. What are the budgetary implications?
Briefly describe your staffing matrix. How many FTEs (full-time equivalents) on the staffing roster are required to cover daily needs? What sound financial management principles did you use to determine your matrix?
Explain how you would adjust your staffing based on changes in the patient census.
Explain how you would adjust your staffing based on changes in the patient acuity.
Submit your Staffing Matrix and your essay as one deliverable.
Include 2–4 peer-reviewed resources.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Staffing Matrix Paper
Student’s Name
College/University
Course
Professor’s Name
Due Date
In the contemporary changing healthcare landscape, robust staffing management is instrumental for providing optimal quality care while ensuring financial sustainability. Over the years, it has become critical to balance between offering maximum staffing levels and mitigating labor costs. The dynamic essence of patient census and acuity further amplifies the above challenge. This paper examines the importance of staffing matrix, distinguishes between staffing models and matrices, and delineates the significance of utilizing such tools in the context of healthcare. Also, it offers insights into the staffing matrix on 30-bed facility, stressing the principles of financial management and elucidating the modification made to address changing patient acuity and census.
Staffing Matrix
Figure 1: Staffing Matrix
Census
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
Direct Caregivers
Scheduled Hours
Shift Length
Number of Staff
Day Shift
RN
630
15
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
NA
630
15
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Health Unit Coordinator
630
15
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Night Shift
RN
280
10
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
NA
280
10
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Health Unit Coordinator
280
10
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Difference between a Staffing Model and a Staffing Matrix
The primary difference between a staffing model and a staffing matrix is their detail and purpose level in healthcare management. A staffing model is considerably a greater-level conceptual framework that highlights the general strategy for personnel allocation on the basis of such more comprehensive criteria as budget constraints, patient acuity, and volume. It offers a strategic perspective of staffing needs, although it does not have granular daily specifics. In contrast, a staffing matrix can be delineated as an operational and detailed tool that translates the concepts of the staffing model into a shift-by-shift and practical plan, thus outlining the types and number of staff needed. The staffing model suitable for this assignment is patient-based. Such a model calculates the levels of staffing by connecting them to patient demand, considering the patient number and care needs (Saville et al., 2019). The approach is exceptionally adaptable as it considers patient consensus to allocate resources, ensuring maximum quality of care and cost-effectiveness. On the other hand, other staffing models, like budget-driven and fixed staffing ratios, are ineffective for dynamically evolving environments, considering their unresponsiveness to patient demand.
Importance of Staffing Matrix and Budgetary Implications
Using a staffing matrix in a healthcare environment presents significant advantages considering its multifaceted benefits, precisely controlling costs while ensuring optimal care and fostering efficient resource allocation. A staffing matrix ensures that staffing l...