AONL creates tools to manage ‘span of control’

In a Q&A in the April issue of Nurse Leader, AONL Senior Director of Professional Practice Lori Wightman, DNP, RN, describes two tools AONL will create to help nurse leaders determine appropriate nurse manager span of control. Span of control ─ defined as the responsibilities and number of direct reports assigned to nurse managers ─ directly affects financial outcomes, staff retention and quality of care. The AONL Span of Control Assessment Index identifies factors affecting span of control, including headcounts, staff novices and staff turnover. A return on investment calculator will assist nurse leaders in justifying an investment in resources by enabling them to enter unit-specific details and determine the ROI if the span of control is addressed by increasing resources or reducing direct reports.