Staffing model

Capsule description

Benefits

Additional resources

Specialized PCA role

PCA role dedicated to completing specific, routine patient care activities

• Improves support staff capacity to complete all patient care responsibilities delegated to them
• Reduces chance of missed care

• Learn how to normalize workflow of support staff with specialized PCA roles on pages 46-51 in Achieving Top-of-License Nursing Practice

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

• Equips bedside nurses with targeted clinical support
• Increases situational awareness within the unit to allow for improved efficiency
• Provides additional support for improving unit outcomes

• Learn how to trade a nursing position for an expert RN role to improve unit performance on pages 39-49 of Building the High-Value Care Team

Team nursing

RNs each lead a team of nursing support staff to care for an assigned group of patients

• Read how Inova Health System shifted their nursing skill mix to facilitate team-based care on pages 29-38 of Building the High-Value Care Team
• Learn how Michael Garron Hospital developed a team-based staffing model for each practice environment by reading pages 90-93 of Rising Above the Bottom Line

Variable shift schedules

Staggered or shortened shifts that align staffing to peak census

• Learn how one organization reorganized their staffing strategy with staggered shift start times on pages 44-49 of Rising Above the Bottom Line

Staffing model

Capsule description

Benefits

Additional resources

Dedicated clinical support

Dedicated ancillary support roles are assigned to unit-based care teams

• Reduces duplicative care
• Enables more precise and efficient care delivery

• Find examples of how organizations have introduced dedicated medication reconciliation roles in the emergency department on pages 61-68 of Building the High-Value Care Team

System-wide float pool

System-wide flexible staffing that supports multiple facilities within the organization

• Reduces premium labor costs

Role-based team nursing

Team of RNs cares for assigned group of patients; each RN is responsible for a different set of clinical activities

• Read about how CHU de Quebec differentiated nursing roles by care activity on pages 79-83 of our publication, The Experience-Complexity Gap

Expert-led care team

Team of RNs have roles differentiated by clinical competence and cares for an assigned group of patients on a unit

• Read about Monash Health’s expert-led care team starting on pages 89-93 of our publication, The Experience-Complexity Gap

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

• See a case profile of how Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) implemented the virtual expert nurse care model