Toolkit

Resources for RN’s on Staffing Committees

WSNA is committed to ensuring that the 2008 Safe Nurse Staffing Legislation is implemented across Washington in a meaningful and effective way. We’ve compiled a tool kit with information and work samples to help registered nurses serving on staffing committees. For more general information on the law or on staffing research, please visit About the Law. WSNA members may also view their Local Unit websites for news and information about the staffing committee in their facility.

Role of the Committee

The establishment of nurse staffing committees at each hospital is an excellent way for the nursing profession to articulate the difference that RNs make in the delivery of safe, effective and appropriate patient care. It is an opportunity for nursing professionals and hospital administration to collaboratively determine staffing needs and study the relationship between staffing and patient outcomes in their own institutions. It is not the role or responsibility of the staffing committee to deal with budget decisions. Wages, hours, and working conditions are mandatory subjects of bargaining and should not be a part of any staffing committee discussions. For more information about this important distinction, read our guidelines on the role of the staffing committee (PDF document) or contact your nurse representative with any questions.

Tools

Staffing Committee Resources

• Sample charter (Word format) – Download and view a sample charter for your staffing committee. This sample charter can be edited to suit your committee’s needs.
• Bringing Your Staffing Committee to Life Program Slides (Powerpoint slides) – A presentation (by Cathe Clapp, RN, MN and Barbara Hyland-Hill, RN, MN, CNAA-BC) given in 2010 in various locations across Washington State for the Ruckelshaus Nurse Staffing Steering Committee.  Information and resources for Staffing, Scheduling, and Budgeting for the Bedside Clinician.
• Unit Based Staffing Committee Survey (Word format) – A Self-Assessment of knowledge and skills for staffing committee members.  Can be used to better plan meeting topics and development opportunities for members.
• Workforce Planning and Staffing Assessment (Word format) – This Survey can be used to assess and identify components of staffing and scheduling as well as workforce planning that work well and t hose which may need improvement.  The scale rates the components on Low-Medium-High Effectiveness.
• Central Washington Hospital Nurse Staffing Committee Newsletter (Adobe Acrobat format - .pdf) – This is a sample newsletter prepared by a staffing committee.
• Photo of Swedish Medical Center Staffing Plan (.jpg format) – Photo of staffing plan, census, and staffing level posting on a unit.

Staffing and Budgeting Resources

• Budgeting and Staffing Terminology (Word format) – Definitions for common budgeting and staffing terms.
• Defining Nursing Hours (Word format) – A graphical representation of the components that comprise Total Paid Nursing Hours.
• Professional Nursing Organizations’ Staffing Standards (Word format) – Recommended nursing staffing standards from various  professional nursing organizations.
• Sample staffing matrix (Excel format) – Download and view a sample telemetry staffing matrix to give you a guide on how to build staffing matrixes for different units in your facility. You can then use these matrixes to build a staffing plan for each unit.
• Sample Staffing Plan – The Massachusetts Hospital Association provides staffing plans online for dozens of hospitals. View a sample from the Berkshire Medical Center here to get ideas for building your staffing plan. For a guide on how to read the staffing chart, view the Massachusetts Hospital Association sample chart with explanations of each category.
• Patient CareLink Staffing Plan Sample – Massachusetts (Word format) – Sample plan for staffing and budgeting for a unit.
• National staffing ratio grid (PDF format) – Recommended staffing guidelines and ratios from various national organizations that could be useful in developing staffing plans.
• Staffing and Scheduling Placemat (Word format) – Graphical representation of staffing and scheduling components in a size that could be printed onto a placemat.
• Sample Nursing Report Card (Word format) – A sample report of patient safety and quality indicators.
• Budget Worksheets with Formulas (Excel format) – Sample worksheet that includes the formulas – can be adapted to your workplace to calculate such things as Total FTE’s, Non-Productive FTE’s, positions (including part-time) and variance in the budget based on data entered.
• Budget Case Application Worksheets – Answers (Excel format) – Correct answers to Budget Variance worksheet above.  Can be used to check accuracy in your data entry and calculations.
• Sample Cost Center Monthly Report (Word format) – A sample report for one cost center showing budget, variance from budget, and comparison to prior year.
• Swedish Stevens Hospital – Unit / Department Position Control Template (Excel format) – A sample report for budget for one unit; broken out by position.  Includes formulas.
• Swedish Medical Center – Copy of UBSC Budget Tools for Staffing Plan Template (Excel format) – A sample budget /staffing plan for a unit.  Includes Direct and Indirect as well as Nonproductive care and an empty worksheet with formulas which can be adapted to your unit.
• Valley Medical Center – Gen Med Position Control (Excel format) – A sample worksheet that includes each staff by name and their position; also specific nurse competencies for each individual.
• Valley Medical Center – Gen Med Staffing Plan (Excel format) – A sample worksheet with staffing and budget for a specific unit; includes formulas.
• Valley Medical Center – Med-Surg Staffing Matrix (Excel format) – A sample worksheet that lists staffing for all units of one category (Medical-Surgical). 

Case Applications

• Case Application Scenarios (Word format) – Case studies that allow you to assess your ability in applying budgeting and staffing skills. 
• Staffing Matrix and Staffing Budget Calculations Quiz (Adobe Acrobat - ,pdf format) – A quiz that allows self-assessment of skills needed to create a staffing matrix that allows you to meet budget.

Need More Information?

WSNA members can contact their nurse representative or attend a staffing workshop for more information or support. Other inquiries about staffing committee resources can be made by contacting WSNA at 1-800-231-8482, Ext. 0 or 206-575-7979, Ext. 0 or by emailing swatkins@wsna.org.