Staffing assessment model benefits hospital

Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia developed a real-time staffing variance analysis tool to assist nurse managers with making staffing decisions to better align resources with patient needs. Adult oncology units used the tool to move from a traditional 12-hour shift model to a real-time, four-hour staffing assessment model. Nursing supervisors entered in staffing, census and acuity data in four-hour intervals to enable real-time assessments. The system provided color-coded indicators to enable supervisors to identify quickly whether staffing was above or below needs. Leaders adjusted staff dynamically and matched patient acuity and census levels based on actual patient volume and acuity rather than predetermined shift patterns. As a result, the hospital reduced costs by decreasing overstaffing during low-census periods. (Oncology Nurse Advisor article, 5/16/25)