Article Explores How to Design System for Safe Staffing

Health care organizations should make significant technology investments to support safe and effective nurse staffing, and to build nurse confidence regarding staffing, according to a Nurse Leader article. The best systems use a mobile application allowing staff to submit time off requests, make schedule changes and accept and/or trade shifts with qualified co-workers. Staff nurses should be fully engaged in designing and implementing staffing and scheduling technology and staffing plans. Furthermore, CNOs should have full control and accountability of nurse staffing and engage governing boards in nurse staffing effectiveness and its impact on patient outcomes. The article contends nurse-staffing decisions should occur at the local level, where staff resources and patient care needs are best understood.