Someone called out. Again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s 5 a.m., and the next shift starts at 6, sending you into the all-too-common staffing scramble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re calling three different full-time nurses to see if they can cover, texting your float pool to see if anybody can pick up the shift, and calling an agency to send in backup, only to be stuck on hold for 20 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An hour later, you\u2019re frazzled, tired, and STILL don\u2019t have someone to cover the shift. So instead of being able to provide care when you need it, you have to call patients and cancel their surgeries, costing your facility thousands of dollars in revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But this isn\u2019t just a one-off experience. The cycle will repeat itself until administrators find a better way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some might say that the staffing scramble is just a part of working in healthcare, but with access to more technology<\/a> than ever before, it takes just a few adjustments to make the staffing scramble a thing of the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthcare staffing has historically been reactive. You wait for a gap in your schedule, and you fill it with someone. When you\u2019re in the daily shuffle, this can seem like the only way to staff, but it turns into a negative cycle that creates constant urgent requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of feeling calm and collected, schedulers become desperate to fill it. They will spend precious time searching for someone, which often leads to paying a premium to get the shift filled, sacrificing precious budget that will ultimately affect revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This cycle creates stress for administrators and can end up costing your facility<\/a> millions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rigid staffing models might seem like they offer a more consistent schedule, but they\u2019re actually breaking efficient staffing. Facilities are asking too much of their already overworked staff, which doesn\u2019t allow for the flexibility needed to function at peak performance. Healthcare is always going to have fluctuating needs, but what impacts those fluctuations can be predictable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are typically more patients in the fall due to flu season. The end of the year will see an increase in elective surgical cases because insurance deductibles have been hit. The summer months will see an increase in outdoor-related injuries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These patterns are the key to creating a successful staffing solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When facilities can predict and plan accordingly, they eliminate excess stress and chaos in a moment of crisis. Not only that, but planned-out shifts can lead to better patient outcomes. In fact, 66% of nurses shared that they noticed more positive patient outcomes, less staff stress, and greater overall consistency when shifts were planned versus last-minute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just a revenue issue; it\u2019s a patient outcomes issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding your facility\u2019s patterns is critical when adjusting your staffing strategy. Take a look at the past year of trends and ask yourself a few questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve answered these questions, it\u2019s time to build out your staffing strategy; this time, utilize the data to start planning ahead (or let us do it with Medely\u2019s Talent Fusion Optimize<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Switching to a more proactive approach requires a more thorough understanding of all of your different labor sources: full-time staff, per diem workers, part-time staff, agency staff, and any float pool staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can then map out your schedule accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you\u2019re working on the schedule for October, start by scheduling out your full-time staff. Then, take into consideration anything that might spike census, whether that\u2019s a flu shot clinic or a surge you had last year that will likely happen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFlexible scheduling eliminates the staffing scramble<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Understanding predictability <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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