Dissertation Title:
The Effectiveness of Patient Acuity Tool on Nursing Satisfaction and Patients Outcomes
Abstract
Background: Nurses face many health care challenges; linking nursing shift assignment to patients' acuity scores may increase the workload balance; achieve equitable nursing assignment, increase nurses' satisfaction and improve patients' outcomes.
Aims: This study aimed to (1) Describe the effectiveness of the Perroca acuity tool by measuring nurses' satisfaction with workload and standard of care pre and post the acuity tool application (2) Measure nurses' satisfaction about the implemented patients' acuity tool (3) ) Investigate the impact of Perroca Patient acuity tool on two nursing sensitive indicators rates (patient falls and pressure ulcer indicators) and 4) Understand nurses' perception about the effectiveness of the Perroca acuity tool by conducting focus groups.
Methods: Mixed method design was used included quasi-experimental and qualitative approach by conducting two focus groups discussion. Donabedian's Structure-Process-Outcome (SPO) model was followed as a conceptual model. A convenience sample of 64 nurses participated in the study. Two scales were used to measure nurses' satisfaction with workload and with standard of care. Perroca's scale was used to measure nurses' satisfaction about patient acuity tool. Thirteen participants were included in two focus groups discussion and were selected by purposive sampling.
Results: Significant differences were found on nurses' total satisfaction level pre and post Perroca patients' acuity tool application. The majority of nurses had positive impressions of the tool and expressed many positive patients' outcomes as a result of the tool application. Five main themes and thirteen subthemes were generated from the focus groups discussion.
Conclusion: This study concluded that patient acuity tool serves as a managers' voice for important staffing decisions as recruitment, assignment distribution and employing new staff and it is very important for the patients' outcomes like the quality of care and patient safety.
Keywords: Nursing assignment, nurses' satisfaction, nursing workload acuity, patient acuity tools, patient classification systems, and patients' outcomes.