Strategic Action Budget Paper
Strategic Action Budget
Regents Online Degree Program
April 18, 2015
Having adequate staffing is a continual problem in nursing. Having the right quantity of nurses to care for the patients without going over the budget is difficult. According to Roussel, strategic staffing is an approach to analyze the problem. Strategic staffing analyzes the staffing needs based on long-term objectives for the unit and tries to find a combination of permanent and temporary employees with the best skills to meet these needs. Strategic staffing also requires an understanding of the different types of staffing. The purpose of this request is to obtain qualified nurses utilizing in-house or temporary staffing services to fill short-term nursing needs. Finding qualified individuals for interim placement is necessary because of the increased census of this facility as a result of the current hiring freeze. Leaving the facility understaffed is having a negative effect on the staff morale and quality of patient care, and must be addressed. According to Roussel, each patient care unit should have a master staffing plan that includes the basic staff needed to cover the unit for each shift. Basic staff is the minimum number of personnel needed to staff the unit and they need to be fully oriented full and part time employees (Roussel, 2013). Options are a) the staff already in place, b) using a short-term contingency staff or a temporary agency, or c) long term temporary nurses or travel nurses. With limited resources, this facility must use the personnel wisely and efficiently. The budget for this situation will take into consideration the problem at hand and what is best for this organization. The first proposed solution to the nurse shortage is to use the staff already in place and offer incentive pay. Usually incentive pay is overtime plus an additional hourly rate to work, when the census is up at the last minute and little time
Regents Online Degree Program
April 18, 2015
Having adequate staffing is a continual problem in nursing. Having the right quantity of nurses to care for the patients without going over the budget is difficult. According to Roussel, strategic staffing is an approach to analyze the problem. Strategic staffing analyzes the staffing needs based on long-term objectives for the unit and tries to find a combination of permanent and temporary employees with the best skills to meet these needs. Strategic staffing also requires an understanding of the different types of staffing. The purpose of this request is to obtain qualified nurses utilizing in-house or temporary staffing services to fill short-term nursing needs. Finding qualified individuals for interim placement is necessary because of the increased census of this facility as a result of the current hiring freeze. Leaving the facility understaffed is having a negative effect on the staff morale and quality of patient care, and must be addressed. According to Roussel, each patient care unit should have a master staffing plan that includes the basic staff needed to cover the unit for each shift. Basic staff is the minimum number of personnel needed to staff the unit and they need to be fully oriented full and part time employees (Roussel, 2013). Options are a) the staff already in place, b) using a short-term contingency staff or a temporary agency, or c) long term temporary nurses or travel nurses. With limited resources, this facility must use the personnel wisely and efficiently. The budget for this situation will take into consideration the problem at hand and what is best for this organization. The first proposed solution to the nurse shortage is to use the staff already in place and offer incentive pay. Usually incentive pay is overtime plus an additional hourly rate to work, when the census is up at the last minute and little time
References: Hinshaw, A. S., (2006). Keeing patients safe: A collaboration among nurse administrators and researchers. Nursing Administration Quarterly(30)4, pp. 309–320 Roussel, L., (2013) Shaffer, F., Kobs, A. (1997) Measuring competencies of temporary staff. Nursing Management (5)28 Nevidjon, B., Erickson, J. I., (2001). The nursing shortage: Solutions for the short and long term www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJINta bleofContents/Volume62001/No1Jan01/NursingShortageSolutions.aspx US Department of Health and Human Services, (2002) Wagner, K., (2013). Temporary nurse staffing: Taking a closer look. Healthcare Cost Containment