[mw44118]

Hi,

I'm working on a project that is meant to help resolve last-minute call-offs more quickly.

Right now, as far as I understand, when a last-minute call-off happens, everybody has to stop doing doing patient care and get on the phone to find somebody to pick up the shift.

I've got a method that aims to reduce the headache. A nurse manager would log in to a website, write a short message, then choose who the message should go to, then push a SEND button. Then a text message is sent to people's mobile phones. If anyone can pick up the shift, then they can reply by sending a text message back.

Anyway, I'm looking for some information:
1. How often do last-minute call-offs happen?
2. Is finding a replacement easy or difficult?


Matt

[michelle126]

What if my phone doesn't take text messages? How about a version that can be just sent out as an automated phone message?

I would love to be able to do this type of thing. Call offs in my ltc happen just about every day or so. Since I am the super and the floor nurse doing 100 other things....I would love this system (We use this for a fundraiser thingy for school for last minute orders) I swear...it takes about an hr or so of my time (time that I don't have) to find replacements. Making the calls are the biggest chunk of time.
How much would this cost facilities? That would be the other big thing...many LTCs are sooooooooo cheap.

[mw44118]

Hi Michelle,

We can do the automated voice recording too. LTC is cheap -- I hear that!

[canoehead]

After they sent out the texts they'd have to call around again to deliver the guilt trips...

[Jolie]

I agree with canoehead. I think most stafff nurses will easily ignore automatically-generated messages. It is the personal contact on the phone and the associated guilt-trip that usually prompts a nurse to come in on short notice.

[midwestRN23]

I agree with the personal touch gets you to come in, BUT how many times can you go to the well before it drys up??? After a while it gets a bit old for the scheduler (or DON) to always be calling. Eventually, you just get resentful and don't want to pick up the extras. Let them wear someone out or... get a better system like this guy is talking about. Otherwise, eventually you have no one to pick up shifts regadless of the begging!