Author Question: A factor evaluation system: a. Utilizes financial data to determine number of staff-to-patient ... (Read 37 times)

Jramos095 · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

A factor evaluation system:

a. Utilizes financial data to determine number of staff-to-patient ratios.
b. Utilizes DRGs to determine acuity on a unit.
c. Combines interventions and time required for interventions to determine levels of care required.
d. Combines financial resources and nursing interventions to determine patient contact hours.

Question 2

Staff members on your unit raise concern that there is rising acuity on the unit and lack of responsiveness in addressing these needs through appropriate staffing. They point to increased incidences of adverse and sentinel events on the unit.

To address this concern, your hospital organization would do best to:

a. Implement a patient classification system immediately.
b. Participate in databases that compare the outcomes and staffing levels versus those of institutions similar to yours.
c. Provide increased numbers of staff to the unit.
d. Ignore such concerns because acuity is variable.

nekcihc358 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
A factor evaluation system considers tasks, thought processes, and patient care activities and gives them a time or rating. These are then used to determine the number of patient care hours required.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Staff morale suffers both when acuity models indicate a gap between staffing and acuity and when there is no model but perceived acuity that is not being addressed. A truer approach is to monitor patient outcomes and participate in national databases that measure staffing levels through comparison with like institutions.