UNIT 3 STAFFING AND PLANNING

Structure
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Definition
3.3 importance and Purposes of Staffing
3.4 Process of Staffing Pattern
3.5 Factors Affecting Staffing Pattern and Steps of Planning
3.6 Time and Work Schedule and Weekly Time Planning
3.7 Determining Nursing Staff in Hospital
3.8 Let Us Sum Up
3.9 Answers to Check Your Progress
Annexure

After going through this unit, you should be able to:

define M ~ n and
g type of statling;
discuss why staffing is essential in nursing service;

states purposes of staffing;

explain the various factors influence the stafiing;

describe the advantages and disadvantages of various type of stafKng; aad

calculate the staff required for hospital bawd on iNC nornns

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Staffing is the backbone of the administdon because the quality of worker and their
performance will determine the degree of the goal of the nusing department. Staffing is the
whole personnel function of bringing in and training the staff and maintaining favowable
condition of work or it may be said as the management b t i o nof employing and developing
human resources for carrying out various managerial activities of an organk&m.
,
P3 b

3.2 DEFINITION
Staffing is defined as filling, and keeping filled p i t i o n in the mganization structure
through identifying work force requirements, in the people available, recruiting, selecting
placing, promoting. appraising planning the areas compensating and training or
otherwise developing both candidates and current job holders to accomplish their task
effectively and efficiently.

Staffing is the systematic approach to the problem of selecting, training, m o t i and~ ~

retaining professional personal in any organization. Staffing fix nursing sewies is the
process of assigning competent people to fill the mles designed fix the qanizational
structure through recruitment seiection and development of peasonnei. Staffing followsthe
mwtwe, goals and standards of the organisation served.
Nuning Servla in Hosplt.1
3.3 IMPORTANCE AND PURPOSES OF STAFFING
It is important to recognize that staffing is a crucial k t i o n of managers and one that
determines the success or failure or an enterprise. The standard of patient care in hospital
depends on the numbers and training and education of nursing personal working in the
organization. The nurse managers should fill the positions in their organization and keep
them filled with qualified people in order to:
give comprehensive nursing care.

ensure adequate staff requirement.

meet patient care standard.
prevent over staffing.
ensure optimal utilization of existing staff.
support professional and personal needs of the nursing.
fill up post for regular vacancies for creation of new job.

Purposes
Staffing is an important responsibility of every manager at every level. The purposes of
staffkg in nursing service are to:
place right person for right job.

cany forward the structure and goals of the organization.

- ensure job specification are clear and in writing.
plan for &ring, retaining, recruiting, training.
identify the type and amount of nursing care to.be given.
determine and predict which type of nursing persodnel are required for nursing care.

3.4 PROCESS OF STAFFING PATTERN

Figure 3.1 shows the process of staffmg which includes identify workforce, people
available, recruiting, optimum utilization of personnel. Other aspects of staffing include
evaluation, in-service education, training, promotion and compensation.

Fig. 3.1: Process of staffing

 Shfaog and PLndng
FACTORS AFFECTING STAFFING PATTERN AND
STEPS FOR PLANNING
We shall now discuss the factors affecting staffing pattern and steps for planning staffing
which are essential requisites for every hospitallorganisation to workout its own need
based staffing.

Patient

Level, complexity, and duration of care need.

Types of patient served: there condition, illnesses, age groups, and other specific
selective factors.

Numbers of patients and fluctuation in numbers.

Socio-economic factor influencing health need.

Patient expectation for care.

Staffing

Number and mix of Nursing Personnel.

Hours and rotation Policies.

Job descriptions and role functions personnel policies.

Education and experiences levels of personnel.

Competitive market for staff in community.

The work ethic of staff members.

Environmental

Physical layout of institution and patient unit.

No. of patients beds.

Facilities and services offered.

Equipment and supplies available.

Supportive services fiom other department and agencies.

Nursing and Institutional Objectives

Levels and type of care.

Selective care assignment pattern.

Services educational and others that institutional desire to give personnel.

Nursing administration supportive services.

Budget

Personnel budget.
Budget for equipment and supplies.

Budget for staff development

Expenditure towards co-curricular activities.

 Working out the job description of various position
m the work load assessmnt for optimum
g pattern what are the duties to be performed'?

3.6 TWLE BLWD WORK SCHEDULE AND WEEKLY TIME

PLANNING
Let us now discuss the time and work scheduling with a sample for weekly time planning
about which escb nurse manager must be familier with m order to make best use of the
available manpower.

~i S c W m g is defined as advance determination of pattern of on and oft'duty burs

for worker in a particular section or division for regutation of aciivibes and for avoiding
omissioos.It is one of the important aspect of the staffing. It can be further defined as
assemMg and &g of worker needed to perfrum the mission of organisation.

Of Time Planning a d Patients Assignmat

the busy days and less busy days and hours of minimum work and
maximum work.
Equal ~~oftasks for dl p n n e l s is important
Consider the qualification and ex@mce of pasomel while assigning duties.
Pkm ?betime off and duty horns in such a way as to have enough personnel.
Cbedr the romptete sd3edu1e for emr. omitted ~ames,promised holidays etc
implmpef mix ofj~ersonne1.
T
ioe mi&
l be phmd.
Do not overload tbe studer~tsand non-professional workers.
of p k n t s and duties Deed nd be changed tiequently than is absohitely
essential.

Secrne qpod of proposed schedule from nursing adrmnistlator.

Notify staff member of t'assigned duty fst- several weeks m advance.
Modifi j. @ate tBe schedule daily to bring staff members.
Review a d analyse tbe s c k h l e on regdar basis to identity stafing problems that
nececissjate d d u h g changes.

To determine witb precision the number of each type of worker required for specific
wmober of +&.
lkraakBd~Wortschedultis~atthe~leveldlowakvel.
Head nurse or unit mmager tiapeschedukfbfpasoanelattheutlitkvdUnit
pasglnelfarthel3nit.
cgPgrtlcatd. .
tbe paidof service

May invite excesshe gKcitl arp-

Naming Service in Hospital Cyclical Scheduling: It involves centralised Planning and development of schedule
pattern, where by work days and time off are regularly repeated on a four, six, seven
and week basis.

Advantages :
- Promotes team spirit by maintaining constant composition of primary work
group.
- Promotes continuity of the care by minimizes the floating personnel.

- -Provides fair'and just treatment to patients and staff.

- . Caters to fluctuation in patient care needs and staff changes caused by

illness, holidays and vacation.

Disadvantages:
- Sufficient number of qualified staff are needed to assure sucessess.

Sample for Weekly Time Planning

Day 2+1 2 +1 2 2 2 +1 2+1 2

Evening 2 2 2+1 2 2 ' 2 2

Night 2 2 2 2+1 . 2 2 2

W/S= Ward Sister Incharge SN= Staff Nurse (R)= Reliever

Reliever -1

3.7 DETERMINING NURSING STAFF IN HOSPITAL

Let us now learn the various determining factors for deciding the number of nukes
required to m8n the nursing services in a hospital.

Dependent factor are:

Number of patient
Nurse patient ratio
Type of patients
Dependency needs of patients
Patient care methods i.e. patient assignment, functional assignment or combination of
both.
 An Example how to compute the time available StafRng and Planning

Days in a year : 365

Days off weekly : 52
Earned leave : 30
Casual leave : 12 days Non working days

Public holidays : 18

Sick leave : 10

Total working days : 365-122 = 243 days

1
1 Nurse for : 243 days per year

20 Nurse works for : 243 x 20 = 4860

To compute the number of nurses available per day, divide 4860 days by number of days
in a year 365=3860 - 365 =13.20. Rounded off to13

If 13 nurses, each work on 8 hourslday, may be assigned as follows:

Day Shift : 6
Evening Shift : 4
Night shift : 3

A scheduele is always flexible according to need, feasilbility and policy

Nuraing Service in Hospital

3.8 LET US SUM UP

Staffing assists us in seeing that the relationship between patient reqiurement and skills is
reciprocal. It is now quite clear that staffing in a unit is not a matter of random or careless
assignment of nursing personnel in units. It is planned, deliberate , careful selection of
specific individual and the prediction of their effects on patient care.Stafing plan effects
the achievement of stated goals and objectives of an institution.It is through the provision
of the appropiate quantity and mixing of staff that nursing departments philosophy, goals
and services are transferred from the administration to the reality.

i
3.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
Check Your Progress

1) a) Staffing is the systematic approach to the problem of selecting, training,

motivating and retaining professional personal in any organization.

b) Time Scheduling is defined as advance determination of pattern of on and off

duty hours for worker in a particular section or division for regulation of
activities and for avoiding omissions.

c) It involves centralised planning and development of schedule pattern, whereby

work days and time off are regularly repeated on a four, six, seven and week
basis.
2) a) True
b) True
c) True
d) True
e) False
3) a) To determine with precision the number of each type of worker required for
specific number of patients.

b) To provide adequate nursing care 24 hours of each day.

c) To promote job satisfaction for each staff.

d) To provide best possible professional experience.
 Annexure Staffing and Planning

Staffing Norms Given by Indian Nursing Council Revised in 1986

1) Nursing Superintendent : (One for minimum 150 beds)

2) Deputy Nursing Superintendent :

3) Assistant Nursing Superintendent : One (For Additional 50 beds one more A.N.S.)

Nursing Staff for Wards, Special Units and OPD

S.No. Wards Staff Nurse Head Nurse Departmental Sister

1) Medical 1 :3 1:25 1 for 3-4 wards

2) Orthopaedic do do do

3) Surgical do do do
4) Paediatric do do do
5) Gynaecology do do do

6) Maternity including New born do do do

7) ICU 1: 1 1 each shift -

8) Coronary unit do do
9) Nephrology do do
10) Neurology and Neuro Surgeon do do

11) ENTandEye do do

12) Operation Theatre 3 for 24 Hrs.1 1 each shift 1 departmental

table ANS for 4-5 OT

13) Casuality and Emergency 2-3 depend- 1 each shift 1 for casuality and
ing on the emergency
number of
beds

Out Patient Department based on Actual observation

S.No. Name of the Dept.

1) Minor OT 1 staff nurse for every 13 patients

2) Injection room 1 staff nurse for every 86 patients

3) Surgical 1 staff nurse for every 120 patients

4) Medical 1 staff nurse for every 140 patients

5) Gynaecology 1 staff nurse for every 35 patients

6) Paediatric 1 staff nurse for every 85 patients

7) Orthopaedic 1 staff nurse for every 120 patients

8) Dental 1 staff nurse for every 120 patients

9) ENT 1 staff nurse for every 120 patients

10) Eye 1 staff nurse for every 86 patients

11) Skin 1 staff nurse for every 100 patients

Nu+g Service in Hospital Similarly, other out patients need to be staffed based on actual observation.

Justification
Need may vary from hospital to hospital depending on the size of the hospital and
services rendered more staff than anticipated will be required.
Special attention is needed for supervision of patient in the evening and night shifi.30%
leave reserve posts are suggested because the nurse gets to restricted, 30 E.L., 12 C.L. 96
days off in a year. It has also been observed that on any working day 25% of the staff is
off duty on casual leave etc. A nurse works for 240 days in year whereas hospital requires
Nursing services for 365 days and for 24 Hrs. which means to do the work of One nurse
1113 nurse will be required i.e. 30% leave reserve is required.