Scheduling

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

We are still an all paper facility. We do use PCC for CNA charting and a few other things.

We are also a very small building with 50 beds.

Question for the group....Who does your nursing schedules? How is it done? How often is it put out? Are you still using paper schedules or do you have a program?

Our medical record clerk does our schedules. There are a few long term staffers that have a set schedule. Everyone works every other weekend (except the unit manager is M-F)

She puts out the master schedule and then does daily staffing sheets. Any open spots are posted. I would assume the DON would then review it to make sure staffing levels are appropriate, etc

There have been many problems.

People who have quit or got fired not replaced ASAP

transcription errors from the master to the daily schedule. people on the daily schedule that are not really scheduled to work (this is the #1 issue...sounds like an easy one to fix, right)

No call no shows...not being replace for the next shift

No updated phone list for employees. No way for after hour supervisor to call in staff.

....the list can go on.

I'm looking for any advice on scheduling. Any programs or software you use? Spreadsheets? Any thing....

[mander]

We use Kronos. I hate it because I can't even log in on most of the computers to do anything... but it works for the scheduler. She's new and we're sort of low on staff so it's been...fun. We have the HR director print us a new staff list every week because we just had this issue with phone numbers. We can't replace people fast enough either. The scheduler takes care of CNAs and LPNs, along with nursing supervisors. The CNAs/LPNs work every other weekend. Unit managers are M-F except they are "on call" on a rotation for the weekend. We have 6 for 5 units. If at any point we fall below min staffing. my ass and the DON are in working whatever position is missing.

I may have left raging today because I was asked to help brainstorm the schedule with the scheduler.... but there are literally NO staff to ask. =_= If there are any call ins our supervisor handles them unless the scheduler is still in. We Do. Not. Leave. on Friday afternoon until we are fully staffed for the weekend and the scheduler, ADON, DON, and admin meet and make sure it's full.

[Iamhere2help]

Spreadsheets can get the job done temporarily, but they are very inefficient. Once the spreadsheet is deployed, you are still relying on a person to coordinate, negotiate, manage, publish and communicate the active changes on the scheduling spreadsheet. I have partnered with different solutions providers to help healthcare organizations digitize and automate their time & attendance, payroll and scheduling functions. Feel free to PM if you're interested in hearing about what we did, our lessons learned and outcomes.