How can staffing ratios be used with patient classification systems?
In California, staffing ratios define minimum licensed nurse staffing levels for a given clinical area. These staffing ratios and Title XXII give hospitals the directive to staff higher than the minimum when patient care requirements increase. This means that a valid and reliable patient classification system must be in place in order to document increased patient care needs. Title XXII ratio and PCS requirements also assume hospitals use a flexible staffing methodology that is population based. For units using a prospective PCS, the EVALISYS PCS Staffing Matrix offers a flexible approach to staffing that determines both minimum staffing ratios and higher staffing levels based on patient classification system data for a given patient population. And, the EVALISYS PCS Staffing Matrix methodology works with virtually any patient classification system.
