Matching Nursing Assignment to Patients' Acuity Level: The Road to Nurses' Satisfaction

Nurses face many healthcare challenges, such as high turnover, workload, and unfair assignments, that lead to nurses' dissatisfaction. Linking nursing shift assignment to patients' acuity scores may increase the workload balance, achieving equitable nursing assignment and nurses' satisfaction. This article aimed to (a) describe the effectiveness of the Perroca patient acuity tool (PAT) by measuring nurses' satisfaction with workload and standard of care pre and post the acuity tool application, and (b) measure nurses' satisfaction about the implemented patients' acuity tool.

Quasi-experimental (one group pre- and postdesign) was used. Donabedian's structure-process-outcome (SPO) model was followed as a conceptual model to guide the implementation process of this study. 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 level.

Significant differences were found on nurse's total satisfaction level, satisfaction with workload, and satisfaction with standard of care between the two times, pre- and post-Perroca PAT application. The majority of nurses had positive impressions of the tool.

This study concludes that linking PAT to nursing shift assignment has several positive outcomes. It increases nurses' satisfaction and serves as managers' voice for important staffing decisions like recruitment, assignment distribution, employing new staff, and improving quality of care.