assignments based on acuity

[oct5555]

I am looking for a standardized tool to rate acuity on every patient. I am in the process of developing a key for my unit but wondering if one is out there already being used. thanks:nuke:

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Our hospital has admission codes based upon the patient's level of care. This code is assigned upon admission, and can be found in the computer under their admission tab. For example, an "A" would be someone who needs no assistance with their ADLs and is ambulatory. A "B" would be someone who needs some assistance with ADLs or ambulation. A "C" would be someone who needs a fair amount of assistance, and may or may not be ambulatory. A "D" would be a total care. If a charge nurse wanted to make assignments based upon this, they could go in and look at the code for every patient on the unit. But, we are a sixty five bed unit, and since the codes are not printed out on the census sheets, this is not something our charge nurses do.

[BookwormRN]

Our hospital uses the MESH acuity system for staffing.

I found a blurb online...here is the website

http://www.uwhealth.org/aboutuwhealth/managementandeducationservicesforhealthcaremesh/12761