Deploying and optimizing float pool nurses at hospitals can be tricky, particularly when done manually. Staffing gaps can remain unnoticed, nurses can become overburdened (resulting in burnouts), and productivity levels can suffer. With smart internal resource pool (IRP) management solutions, hospitals and clinics can put a solution in place that automates scheduling and deployment of resources, giving them more control over how much that workforce is working and what the labor is costing.
A recent report found that having float pool nurses can bring down the total nursing labor costs at hospitals by more than 5% – yielding a significant savings. Of course, organizations have to be careful while choosing a reliable IRP solution, to actually realize the benefits of float pools. This article offers an in-depth insight on how an IRP solution provider can help hospitals maximize the productivity of nurse float pools.
Moving Beyond the Hassles Of Manually Managing Nurse Pools
Automated IRP management solutions offer a much smarter and efficient way of float pool management than manual methods. Healthcare organizations no longer have to worry about hordes of spreadsheets and other physical documents, and the total time spent on administrative work (which can be repetitive in nature) goes down exponentially. Since the system makes it possible for the management (‘provider’) to check the skills, qualifications and other background details of all nursing staff, assigning the right person for the right job is simple. Doing these tasks manually while maintaining full accuracy is very difficult, if not impossible.
Seamless Communication; Full Transparency
The best IRP systems facilitate instant and automated, two-way app-enabled communication between hospitals and float nurses. As a result, identifying open shifts and/or underutilized staff becomes straightforward – and with optimal shift allocation, the overall productivity of float pool nurses goes up significantly. Individual work-burden can be managed in the best possible manner – with the system ensuring that no one is swamped with too much work, and shifts are assigned to underutilized nurses. An IRP solution also helps make the nurse deployment process at hospitals transparent – with nurses able to see their allotted schedules at any time, and hospitals having the option to track performances real-time. The optimal nurse: patient ratios (RN:PT) can be maintained with ease, and the management does not have to worry excessively about staffing concerns. The in-depth reports generated by these IRP solutions make workforce control that much easier and data-backed too. As a result, nurse managers can enhance their own productivity.
Happy Workforce = Greater Engagement & Productivity
Probably the biggest reason why nurses join float pools is the top-notch scheduling flexibility and work-variety that it offers. Through internal resource pool management solutions, float pool nurses can view their shifts and request shift changes as needed – in their bid to maintain a proper work-life balance. This transparency enhances the nurse experience and ultimately leads to a more engaged loyal workforce. It’s a win-win situation for hospitals too – whose chief priority is invariably the recruitment and retention of the best caregivers. Intelligent IRP software is instrumental in helping hospitals get the maximum leverage out of nurse float pools, since these pools typically employ nurses with varying competencies. As job-satisfaction levels rise, nurses become more committed towards giving their best, their work-engagement increases, and the quality of patient care improves.
The Importance of Real-time Information
To ensure optimal staffing on a day-to-day basis and for expediting the time-to-fill, accurate and real-time information is necessary. That’s precisely what the right IRP solution delivers. These automated resource deployment software tools focus on matching the supply of nurses with the demand from hospitals. Internal resource pool management tools are also updated regularly, ensuring that there are no information gaps. Seamless communication between hospital management and nurses is facilitated – through voice broadcasts, emails, and two-way texting. Another advantage of IRP solutions is their capability to send real-time notifications to float pool staff – ensuring that everyone stays in the loop, and there is no shortage of nurses (i.e., open shifts) at times of crisis. With the IRP platform, future nurse staffing requirements can be estimated as well. Since all authorized personnel can log in to the IRP system via web or through the mobile app anytime and from anywhere, there are no delays in getting access to key scheduling data.
Optimal Utilization Of Staff Capabilities
By working with a reliable IRP solution, hospitals can significantly ease the challenge of finding, retaining and engaging nurse float pools in the best possible manner. Nurses can be deployed systematically in the required shifts/locations. Since the system ensures the availability of the right personnel at the right time for the right job, the different staff capabilities are optimally utilized – and overall float pool productivity goes up by several notches.
What’s more, the hospitals can also use the IRP software platform to get and maintain full control over workforce management and labor expenses. When the scheduling is optimal, everyone can perform to the best of their capabilities, and patient outcomes improve.
Enhanced Scalability & Interoperability
Hospitals across the country vary in their sizes and nurse scheduling requirements. As such, working with a “one-size-fits-all” solution is never a good idea. Automated IRP systems offer a much smarter alternative. Since they are fully scalable for different healthcare organizations, they can be used to deliver customized resource deployment solutions. Implementation is also easy, since most leading IRP solutions offer seamless integration and interoperability with other existing software tools (e.g., time and attendance software). With smart scheduling, the nurse deployments become optimal – and patient outcomes are favorably affected, as a direct result. An intelligent IRP software solution serves as a centralized dashboard with real-time updates, ensuring efficient and easy-to-configure float pool management workflows. Key stakeholders and other nurse management staff have easy access to all information – leading to more informed decision-making opportunities.
End-to-End Float Pool Management
A poorly managed nurse float pool is the ideal recipe for sub-par productivity levels. By availing the services of a good IRP solution, hospitals can keep such scenarios at an arm’s length. The entire staff (nurse) sourcing process is made dynamic and flexible, and hospitals can easily set up a robust performance monitoring and scheduling governance structure. The best practices for optimized in-house nurse pool management are followed, while the optimal compensation scenarios can be accurately, and justifiably, determined. Since all the schedule allotments and internal procedures are ‘visible’ on the IRP platform, the likelihood for confusion is minimal.
Cost Reduction & Quality Control
Often, hospitals have to resort to third-party agencies to fill open shifts. Smart IRP solutions help hospitals minimize their dependence on these external agencies. As a result, the average hourly labor expenses and administrative costs will decrease.
In hospitals, these cloud-based IRP platforms ensure that all staffing shortages can be effectively handled, there is no under-staffing, and no one has too much work pressure. Automated IRP solutions maximize float pool productivity – and as such, their demand and value is likely to keep growing in the foreseeable future.
