Self-scheduling: an innovative approach

Self-scheduling provides staff nurses the opportunity to be autonomous and to control their work schedules. Formation of a committee which will develop short-term and long-term goals is a critical first step. From an administrative standpoint, the staff's increased awareness of staffing and scheduling issues results in many long-term benefits for staff development and retention. Unscheduled absences due to illness decrease, as do individual requests for changes after posting of the schedule. The accountability and responsibility fostered leads to job satisfaction and professional growth.