The Nurse-Patient Assignment: Purposes and Decision Factors : JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration (2024)

Articles

Purposes and Decision Factors

Allen, Stephanie B. PhD, RN, NE-BC

Author Information

Author Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Pace University, Pleasantville, New York.

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Correspondence: Dr Allen, Lienhard School of Nursing, L310, 861 Bedford Rd, Pleasantville, NY 10570 ([emailprotected]).

JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration 45(12):p 628-635, December 2015. | DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000276

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Identify purposes and decision factors of the nurse-patient assignment process.

BACKGROUND:

Nurse-patient assignments can positively impact patient, nurse, and environmental outcomes.

METHODS:

This was an exploratory study involving interviews with 14 charge nurses from 11 different nursing units in 1 community hospital.

RESULTS:

Charge nurses identified 14 purposes and 17 decision factors of the nurse-patient assignment process.

CONCLUSIONS:

The nurse-patient assignment is a complex process driven by the patient, nurse, and environment. Further study is needed to identify factors linked to patient safety, nurse, and environmental outcomes.

Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Nurse-Patient Assignment: Purposes and Decision Factors : JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration (2024)

FAQs

What is the purpose of nursing assignment? ›

Basic functions of nursing assignment system

Matching nurses to tasks and patients based on their skills, competencies, and certifications. Skill matching will maximize the utilization of nursing staff by aligning their expertise with the needs of patients and specific units.

What factors should a nurse consider when prioritizing a patient assignment? ›

Priority-Setting Frameworks
  • airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs),
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs,
  • nursing process.
  • safety and risk reduction.
  • least restrictive/least invasive.
  • survival potential.
  • acute/urgent/unstable versus chronic/nonurgent/stable (ATI, n.d.; Jessee, 2019)

What factors need to be considered when making patient assignments? ›

To support the complicated decision-making process for the charge nurse's assignment, Cathro proposed a practical guide for patient assignments, which encompasses three key factors: patient acuity, nursing continuity and safety concerns.

What are the objectives of patient assignment? ›

Objectives of Patient Assignment To promote the patient with the best possible nursing care. To provide a broad education and experience for each student nurse. To achieve good ward management. Principles of Patient Assignment Equal case load depending on staff ability and hours.

What is the primary purpose of an assignment? ›

An assignment is a piece of (academic) work or task. It provides opportunity for students to learn, practice and demonstrate they have achieved the learning goals. It provides the evidence for the teacher that the students have achieved the goals.

What are the main aims of the assignment? ›

apply relevant concepts to a situation or phenomenon. analyze ideas and concepts and consider relationships among them. evaluate a decision, perspective or a particular way of doing something. create new ideas or perspectives given a particular topic or issue.

What is the concept of nursing assignment? ›

Assignment refers to routine care, activities, and procedures that are within the legal scope of practice of registered nurses (RN), licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VN), or assistive personnel (AP). Scope of practice for RNs and LPNs is described in each state's Nurse Practice Act.

What are two factors a nurse should use when prioritizing care? ›

Acuity and intensity are foundational concepts for prioritizing nursing care and interventions. Acuity refers to the level of patient care that is required based on the severity of a patient's illness or condition.

What are 3 nursing priorities for patient care? ›

Because of the importance of recognizing clinical deterioration in a client, a nurse must always be attuned to the set of physiological needs that are important to maintain life and prevent death. These priorities of care are related to the ABCs – airway, breathing, and circulation – introduced above.

What is the RN's rights when considering a patient assignment? ›

Registered nurses need to know their rights and responsibilities when considering a patient assignment. If you feel that you lack expertise on a unit and patient population, you don't just have the right to refuse an assignment there, you have an obligation to do so.

What are the 4 types of patient assignment? ›

There are five methods of assignment in general use: 1-Case method. 2-Functional method. 3-Team nursing method. 4-Primary care method.

Can a nurse be fired for refusing an assignment? ›

Employers can fire nurses who refuse even an unreasonable assignment for insubordination. If you don't have a written agreement with your employer regarding staffing expectations, you may have to accept the request.

What is the purpose of a nursing assignment? ›

In the world of healthcare, nursing assignments play a crucial role in ensuring patient care, safety, and the smooth functioning of medical facilities. These assignments are not just routine tasks but are pivotal in maintaining the well-being of patients and the overall healthcare system.

What is the significance of a patient assignment benefits? ›

An assignment of benefits is an invaluable tool when you need to streamline the insurance claims process. For example, you can designate your healthcare provider as your primary claimant with an assignment of benefits, allowing them to charge your insurance company directly for healthcare costs.

What are the methods of assignment in nursing? ›

The assignment method consists of five functional methods, team method, primary method, case method and primary-level nursing method.

Why is nursing profession assignment important? ›

Nurses spend their days treating people who are sick, injured, and disabled – caring for others is core to what they do. Not to mention, nurses are also key intermediaries between patients and other medical professionals, serving as advocates and educators for patients in need.

What are the purposes of nursing assessment? ›

A nursing assessment is a process where a nurse gathers, sorts and analyzes a patient's health information using evidence informed tools to learn more about a patient's overall health, symptoms and concerns.

What is the purpose of the work assignment? ›

The work assignment feature in project management software allows work to be assigned to the appropriate person within the project team. Whether it's creating a new project or adding in a new task, the work needs to be assigned to a resource for it to be executed.

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