Determining the Optimum Number of Nursing Staff Is Needed in Kerman Shafa Hospital Emergency Department

The nursing workforce shortage or its inappropriate distribution is one of the major problems in hospitals. This study aimed to determine the optimum number of nurse staff in the emergency department of a teaching hospital. This is a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. The study population included patient's medical records admitted to the emergency department. Using cluster sampling, August was selected as a cluster. Sample size was determined using the sample size formula, and 384 records were randomly selected from August. A check list of nursing services timing was data collection tool. To develop the checklist, patient's medical records were reviewed to identify emergency department nursing services and 19 nursing services were listed. Data were then analyzed using linear programming techniques and Lingo12.0 software. The average entry of patients, nursing services provided, and the percentage of patients who had received each service, were used as the model inputs. Model limitations included time constraints, supply constraints, and non-negative variable constraints. The software's output showed that the optimal number of nurses in the morning shift was14, in the evening shift 12, and in the night shift was 15. So a total of 42 nurses is the optimal number and it was detected that this emergency unit was faced with a shortage of 19 nurses particularly in night shift. The results indicated that the emergency department of the studied hospital is facing with nurse shortage, particularly at night shift. Solutions to fit the number of nurses with patients in this emergency department can be classified in two areas of demand and supply of emergency services at different hours of day. Since only the early hours of the night shift is faced with large numbers of patients, the rational allocation of overtime to the evening shift nursing staff can be helpful. Furthermore, the hospital can correctly implement the triage nursing so that patient with high priority will serve at the best time.