Computer program for quick work scheduling of nursing staff

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Health Services Management

Background:

• Manual creation of nursing staff work schedules is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
• Existing scheduling methods often fail to efficiently incorporate individual staff preferences and requests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the development of a novel computer program designed to automate nursing staff work schedule generation.
• To evaluate the program's efficiency and usability for senior nurses in ward management.

Main Methods:

• The program was developed using N88-BASIC(86) interpreter for the NEC PC-9801 personal computer.
• The software automates the creation of work schedules, incorporating individual nursing staff requests.
• User testing was conducted with senior nurses to assess the program's effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The computer program successfully generates complete work schedules in approximately 90 seconds.
• The program significantly reduces the manual effort required for staff work scheduling.
• It effectively integrates individual nursing staff requests into the final schedule.

Conclusions:

• The developed computer program offers an efficient and effective solution for nursing staff work scheduling.
• Implementation of this program can alleviate the administrative burden on senior nurses.
• Automated scheduling enhances the ability to accommodate staff preferences, potentially improving job satisfaction.