Deck 17: Staffing Needs and Soheduling

Question 1

What is the most fiscally responsible method for determining staffing needs for a hospital unit?

A) Maximum patient load capacity of the unit
B) Numbers of patients present for an upcoming shift
C) An agreed-upon staffing formula currently in use
D) Total beds on the unit

Answer 1

An agreed-upon staffing formula currently in use

Question 2

Which statement about PCSs is accurate?

A) Classification systems are able to solve staffing problems
B) Nursing care hours assigned to a classification system should remain constant
C) A good classification system is without fault
D) Internal and external forces may affect classification systems

Answer 2

Internal and external forces may affect classification systems

Question 3

Which statement accurately reflects self-scheduling?

A) Self-scheduling requires greater worker accountability
B) The manager has little responsibility in self-scheduling
C) Self-scheduling has few or no shortcomings
D) Self-scheduling works in most organizations

Answer 3

Self-scheduling requires greater worker accountability

Question 4

Which is an outcome of decentralized staffing?

A) Increased fairness to employees through consistent, objective, and impartial application
B) Cost-effectiveness through better use of resources
C) Greater manager autonomy to control the staffing on the units, resulting in an increase in self-esteem and teamwork
D) Increased availability of data for monitoring the effect of staffing size and composition, quality of care, and costs

Question 5

It is 2 PM. You are calculating the nursing care hours for the 3 to 11 PM shift and must decide whether you need to call in additional help. You have three RNs, three nursing assistants, and one ward clerk scheduled. You have 22 patients with the following acuity and nursing care hours allotted for the evening shift:
Category I, 4 patients @ 2.0 hours
Category II, 2 patients @ 2.3 hours
Category III, 10 patients @ 2.8 hours
Category IV, 6 patients @ 3.4 hours
What are the needed hours of nursing care?

A) 61 hours
B) 52.6 hours
C) 68.4 hours
D) 48.4 hours

Question 6

What is the priority goal for a manager with regard to staffing and scheduling?

A) Schedule staff so there is no overtime
B) Ensure that there is adequate staff to meet the needs of each patient
C) Develop trust in staff by seeing that staffing is carried out in a fair manner
D) Ensure that staff members usually have days off and special requests granted

Question 7

Which is the most accurate statement regarding staffing and scheduling policies?

A) It is more important to communicate policies verbally than in writing
B) It is necessary that policies are written in a manner that allows some flexibility
C) Policies should focus on the process
D) Managers should have autocratic control over scheduling and staffing policies

Question 8

Which statement accurately identifies a concern associated with decentralized staffing?

A) It carries risks that employees may be treated unequally or inconsistently
B) It uses one individual or a computer to do the staffing
C) The manager's role is that of making minor adjustments or providing input
D) It provides good control for the organization

Question 9

What outcome is associated w ith a good PCS?

A) It eliminates most staffing problems
B) It decreases the amount of overtime
C) It provides an understanding of staffing problems
D) It eliminates the need for adjustment or review

Question 10

What positive impact do new practice models have on the staffing mix?

A) Automatically cancel the PCS
B) Will result in fiscal savings
C) Require no changes in scheduling policies
D) Impact patient care assignment methods

Question 11

What term identifies a system that allows employees to select among variations in work start-time schedules to meet their personal needs?

A) Self-scheduling
B) Flextime
C) Decentralized staffing
D) Cyclical staffing

Question 12

Which statement is correct concerning prenegotiated budget management?

A) It is incompatible with ethical accountability
B) It is only the responsibility of the centralized staffing office
C) It is inappropriate with new practice models
D) It is a critical responsibility of managers

Question 13

Which statement is true regarding legislated minimum staffing ratios?

A) They are mandated by federal law
B) They are required by 28 states
C) They are proposed to improve patient care
D) They are necessary to reduce costs

Question 14

There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of scheduling. What is true about extending the workday with 10- or 12-hour shifts?
1) Requires overtime pay
2) Increases nurse satisfaction
3) Decreases cost
4) Increases judgment errors

A) 1, 2, 3
B) 1, 2, 4
C) 1, 3, 4
D) 2, 3, 4

Question 15

What occurs when RN hours decrease in a unit's calculation of nursing care hours per patient day (NCH)/(PPD)?

A) Adverse patient outcomes generally increase
B) Decreased errors
C) Decreased patient falls
D) Decreased patient satisfaction

Question 16

When was the veteran generation born?

A) 1925 to 1942
B) 1943 to early 1960s
C) Early 1960s to 1980
D) Late 1970s to 1986

Question 17

What generational work group values the more flexible part-time and 12-hour shift options?

A) Veteran generation
B) Baby boomer
C) Generation X
D) Generation Y

Question 18

What must staff and scheduling policies not violate?
1) Local laws
2) Labor laws
3) State or national laws
4) Union contracts

A) 1, 2, 3
B) 1, 2, 4
C) 1, 3, 4
D) 2, 3, 4

Question 19

What is the advantage of decentralized scheduling?

A) Unit manager understands the needs of the unit and staff intimately
B) Employees will be treated equally and consistently
C) Manager role is limited to making minor adjustments and providing input
D) It allows the most efficient use of resources

Question 20

An increasingly common staffing and scheduling alternative is the use of supplemental nursing staff such as agency nurses or travel nurses. Which statement is correct about agency nurses or travel nurses?

A) Work for premium pay
B) Employed directly by the health-care agency
C) Result in increased continuity of nursing care
D) They receive the standard facility benefits

Question 21

What is a leadership role associated with staffing and scheduling?

A) Role models the use of evidence in making appropriate staffing and scheduling decisions
B) Uses organizational goals and patient classification tools to minimize understaffing
C) Periodically examines the unit standard of productivity to determine if changes are needed
D) Evaluates scheduling and staffing procedures and policies on a regular basis

Question 22

What is an advantage of centralized staffing? Select all that apply

A) It is flexible
B) It is staff focused
C) It is cost-effective
D) It is consistent and impartial

Question 23

Since 2008 what is the legal minimum staffing radios for a medical-surgical nursing unit?

A) 1:4
B) 1:5
C) 1:6
D) 1:7

Question 24

Which statement is true regarding the float pool nurse? Select all that apply.

A) They are classified as per-diem staff
B) The nurse trades increased personal flexibility for less pay
C) Float pool nurses do not receive usual staff benefits
D) They are crossed trained on multiple units

Question 25

Which external and internal forces must a manager adjust for when implementing the PCSs associated with unit staffing? Select all that apply.

A) Presence of nursing students on the unit
B) The hiring of two graduates as staff
C) The increase of scheduled medical students
D) Language barriers presented by nursing staff