Exploring the workload balance effects of including continuity-based factors in nurse-patient assignments
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Published Version
Date
2016-05
Authors
Jiang, Haoqiang
Li, Juanjuan
VanderMeer, Debra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
DESRIST 2016
Published Version
Abstract
Workload balance in nurse-patient assignments is important for ensuring quality in patient care. Unbalanced workloads can lead to high levels of nursing stress, medical errors, lower-quality outcomes, and higher costs. Studies have pro-posed assignment strategies based on patient acuity, location, and characteristics of specialized units. These methods do not address the part of workload associated with continuity in care coordination, and the potential benefits associated with continuity-based assignments. We present the results of a pilot simulation study comparing an acuity-oriented method to a continuity-based approach, using acuity as a measure of workload. Our results suggest that a purely continuity-based approach can result in skewed workloads when measured by patient acuity. In future work, we plan to consider hybrid methods, which may be able to provide the benefits of both continuity and acuity based methods.
Description
Keywords
Nurse-patient assignment , Balanced workload , Acuity-based assignment , Continuity-based assignment
Citation
Jiang, H., Li, J. & Vandermeer, D. 2016. Exploring the workload balance effects of including continuity-based factors in nurse-patient assignments. In: Parsons, J., Tuunanen, T., Venable, J. R., Helfert, M., Donnellan, B., & Kenneally, J. (eds.) Breakthroughs and Emerging Insights from Ongoing Design Science Projects: Research-in-progress papers and poster presentations from the 11th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST) 2016. St. John, Canada, 23-25 May. pp. 9-16
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©2016, The Author(s).