Nurse leaders are charged with deploying staffing resources to support the delivery of safe, high-quality, and cost-effective patient care. Over the years, organizations have experimented with a number of different staffing models to meet the needs of their changing patient populations and care environments.
Use this page to understand legacy and next-generation inpatient staffing models. Then, view the “additional resources” to the right of each model to see case profiles of how organizations have rolled out those models within their facilities.
Legacy staffing models
Staffing model | Capsule description | Benefits | Additional resources |
Specialized PCA role | PCA role dedicated to completing specific, routine patient care activities |
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Unit-based expert roles | Expert RN elevated to clinical leader over the unit to proactively spot issues; expert RN also supports communication with the interprofessional team, patients, and families |
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| Team nursing | RNs each lead a team of nursing support staff to care for an assigned group of patients |
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| Variable shift schedules | Staggered or shortened shifts that align staffing to peak census |
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Next-generation staffing models
Staffing model | Capsule description | Benefits | Additional resources |
Dedicated clinical support | Dedicated ancillary support roles are assigned to unit-based care teams |
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System-wide float pool | System-wide flexible staffing that supports multiple facilities within the organization |
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| Role-based team nursing | Team of RNs cares for assigned group of patients; each RN is responsible for a different set of clinical activities |
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| Expert-led care team | Team of RNs have roles differentiated by clinical competence and cares for an assigned group of patients on a unit |
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| Virtual expert nurse | Remote RN oversees multiple care teams on a unit; digital platforms allow for real-time information sharing between remote RN, staff, and patients |
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