An Innovative Approach to Patient Acuity
by Katherin Weiss, BSN, RN
Traditional systems used to classify patient acuity and guide staffing decisions to provide safe patient care frequently fall short of that objective. Traditional patient acuity systems were adopted from acuity systems that originated in manufacturing environments. In those manufacturing environments, processes were distilled into series of repetitive tasks; each task was associated with a skill level required to complete the task and an increment of time to in which the task should be completed. Based on this origin, traditional patient acuity systems typically are task-based and do not account for professional decision making.
The Department of Nursing at Atlanta Medical Center saw an opportunity to support a culture of safety and quality care by implementing an evidenced-based patient classification system, leveraging the professional judgment and sound clinical decisions of its nurses. Research has validated that experienced nurses are able to classify patients without relying on the task-based approach of traditional patient acuity systems (Shaha, 2005). The success of the system requires that frontline nurse leaders and organizational nurse leadership act in concert with each other, with respect and trust mutually expressed.
The Atlanta Medical Center Patient Classification/Acuity System (PCS) focuses on inclusivity, empowering frontline caregivers to make decisions that impact staffing decisions and protect patient safety. Understanding the convergence of healthcare and “the business world” allows these caregivers to appreciate how staffing decisions translate into organizational expenses. This inclusive focus also serves to increase a sense of leadership and accountability frontline nurse leaders exercise, engaging them in the process of making prudent decisions that incorporate sound clinical judgment and fiscal responsibility. This innovative approach to classifying patients in order to make optimal staffing decisions engages nurses as partners in decision-making, as opposed to their being recipients of staffing decisions made by others, which in turn fosters increased professionalism and satisfaction.
For more information about the Atlanta Medical Center Department of Nursing Patient Classification System, contact Paula Butts, RN, Director Medical-Surgical and Cardiovascular Services, at 404-265-3810 or paula.butts@tenethealth.com.
