Situation

Agency nurse expense (temporary, external nurse hours) was running well above budget and required immediate attention in order to close the gap before year-end.

Team Engagement Strategy

A cross-department team comprised of nurse managers, financial services and human resource personnel, sponsored by the chief nursing executive, was brought together to close the expense gap
using Rapid Action, an “all in one” team engagement toolkit for accelerating results.

Rapid Action Project Charter

How can we improve our nurse staffing strategies and processes in order to reduce temporary/contracted agency staffing costs by 25% over the current expense rate and meet our budget target without a reduction in quality of care or an adverse impact on nurse retention and morale?

Sample of Solutions Implemented

1. Developed a consistent strategy for reviewing and renegotiating contracts with all contract nursing agencies. 2.
2. Created internal “Standby Nurse Staff ” positions for volunteers looking to work additional hours or alternate schedules while maintaining hospital employee status.
3. Centralized nurse scheduling to improve allocation of hours based on fluctuations in patient census across departments.
4. Developed a cross-campus, cross-unit “floating” nursing unit specially trained and properly credentialed for multiple unit coverage.