1. Introduction and Hypothesis
SCHEDULING
Heather Paine
Lynchburg College
Methods
Through observation, interviews, and evaluation of the hospital’s engagement survey results, it was determined that staff felt a need for changes in the scheduling process. This project will use design and plan, do, study, and act. The communication for this project will be through and face to face meetings. This study is being conducted at Lynchburg General Hospital Operating Room with the a total approximate staff of forty.
Practice Change:
To train staff to use Kronos electronic scheduling, training has been given to include 1 hour training sessions and will be evaluated via voluntary survey after completion of training and two months after training is completed, which is scheduled to conclude the end of April.
Abstract
Problem:
Self scheduling via paper sign-up sheets can lead to missed staffing needs for the Operating Room. Paper scheduling lacks the ability to run quick analysis of staffing needs as well as ensure each shift is staffed properly.
Evidence:
Electronic scheduling will improve scheduling efficiency, cost savings, as well as improve moral and staff engagement.
Strategy:
This project will use design and plan, do, study, and act to implement and evaluate project. This project is being conducted take place at Lynchburg General Hospital Operating Room with the current five members of the cardiothoracic team as a pilot, based on post evaluation project may potentially be applied to other specialized teams in the operating room for a total approximate staff of seventy.
Practice Change:
Train staff in the use of Kronos electronic scheduling system.
Evaluation:
A Likert questionnaire will be used to evaluate use of electronic scheduling at the end of two months. Reports at the end of the study will be printed from Kronos to evaluate staffing coverage over all the shifts and ensure proper staffing coverage was achieved to ensure there are no missed staffing coverage.
Discussion
While the project is still under implementation staff have been very engaged in the idea of changing from paper to electronic scheduling. This engagement is what this project was looking to achieve as well as improve moral. By doing so patient outcomes will be improved and the hospital will achieved its’ motto of excellent care for life.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the Lynchburg General Operating Room staff and management for their continued support and encouragement during this project.
My preceptor Deborah Bernardi RN MSN has been a great resource, supporter, and continual words of encouragement throughout my Master’s program.
Microsoft Office
Microsoft office
Introduction and Hypothesis
Self scheduling allows staff to sign up for shifts that allow them to meet needs at home and outside of work (Bailyn, Collins, & Song, 2007; Teahan, 1998). Proper staffing to meet the needs of patients within the operating room leads to safe patient care and provides for staff safety (Bailyn, Collins, & Song, 2007; Butler et al., 2011; Teahan, 1998). Allowing staff control over their schedule improves moral and staff engagement (Bailyn, Collins, & Song, 2007; Teahan, 1998). Keeping up morale and staff engagement provides for positive outcomes for patients as well (Butler et al., 2011). Electronic scheduling will improve scheduling efficiency, allowing scheduler’s time to focus on other responsibilities and provide cost savings by eliminating paper used for scheduling and staffing coverage needed while the scheduler completes the schedule. With new healthcare regulations there is a need for electronic scheduling to monitor staffing and the needs of the unit (Gardner, A., & Gemme, E. 2003). The hospital’s motto is excellent care for life. In order to achieve this motto and evaluate weak areas, as well as ensure positive patient outcomes, there is a need for a change in how the unit schedules staff. In order to combat staff fatigue and ensure patient safety within the operating room i.e. enough staffing to operate on the patient and staff assigned to cases in which they are trained.
References
Bailyn, L., Collins, R., & Song, Y. (2007). Self-scheduling for hospital nurses: An attempt and its difficulties. Journal of Nursing Management, 15(1), doi: /j x
Butler M., Collins R., Drennan J., Halligan P., O’Mathúna D.P., Schultz T.J., Sheridan A., & Vilis E. (2011). Hospital nurse staffing models and patient and staff-related outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7 DOI: / CD pub2.
Gardner, A., & Gemme, E. (2003). Virtual scheduling: A 21st-century approach to staffing. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 27(1),
Irvin, S., & Brown, H. (1999). Self-scheduling with Microsoft Excel. Nursing Economic$, 17(4),
Microsoft Office, (2007). Microsoft Office Word Windows. Microsoft Corporation
Teahan, B. (1998). Implementation of a self-scheduling system: a solution to more than just schedules. Journal Of Nursing Management, 6(6),
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office
Results
An anonymous questionnaire developed by Irvin and Brown (1999), will be used to evaluate use of electronic scheduling which is currently being implemented. The scale that will be used is strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, and undecided as the measurements for the questionnaire.
Reports at the end of the study will be printed from Kronos to evaluate staffing coverage over all the shifts and ensure proper staffing coverage was achieved to ensure there are no missed staffing coverage.
Beginning results are showing favorable outcomes from staff, showing that staff feel that it will improve scheduling, allow scheduler to work on other needed assignments and improve vacation communications and requests.
Results will be finalized the end of April 2017.