Problem: Community Hospital is opening a new 50-bed surgical unit on January 1, 200X. The average occupancy rate is projected to be 90%. The direct nursing care hours per patient day will be 5.5 hours. The nurse manager for the unit and the unit clerk are not included in the 5.5 hours per day. The staff nurses will all be RNs. All personnel are paid for 7.5 hours per day. They are entitled to two (2) fifteen minute breaks. Therefore, they actually work 7 hours per day. One nurse manager (without relief) is required to staff the unit. Three shifts of unit clerks, with two unit clerks per shift, seven days per week, are required. Each employee works a five day week.
The paid leave time is as follows:
RNs: 20 vacation days, 12 holidays, 15 sick days
Unit Clerks: 10 vacation days, 12 holidays, 15 sick days
Assume RNs and Unit Clerks use all their paid leave
Determine:
- The number of staff RNs required (FTEs)
- The number of unit clerks required (FTEs)
- The TOTAL staff required for the unit (FTEs)