Optimization and Simulation for Nurse Assignment

Poster Presentation

Friday, 21 July 2006
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Friday, 21 July 2006
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

This presentation is part of : Poster Presentations III

Deborah F. Behan, MS, RN, BC, Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA

Learning Objective #1: Discuss the optimization model and the simulation model.
Learning Objective #2: Discuss factors involved in assigning nurses to patients, such as patient diagnoses and room locations.

Across the United States there is a shortage of nurses (GAO, 2001). One way to reduce the burden of the shortage is to minimize excess workload for nurses by balancing their assignment of patients. Minimizing the workload will help nurses to better meet the needs of their patients’ and improve safety. The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and Baylor Regional Medical Center in Grapevine collaborated to develop a simulation and optimization model that intelligently uses data to assign nurses to patients. The model will be applied to medical-surgical units, a mom/baby unit, and a high risk neonatal unit. The three main functions of the prototype are to optimize the assignment of nurses to patients, evaluate the assignment, and recalibrate the parameters so that nurses will have more manageable workloads and patient care will be safer. This will ease the burden of the nursing shortage.

See more of Poster Presentations III
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)