Florence Nightingale is an icon of modern nursing. A pioneer in hospital hygiene and sanitation, she also contributed to the field of statistics with her use of infographics. She was a true embodiment of this year’s theme for National Nurse’s Week – Inspire, Innovate, Influence.
Celebrated each year May 6 through 12 – culminating on Florence Nightingale’s birthday – this week is devoted to recognizing the dedicated caregivers who work tirelessly to care for others.
Nursing is not an easy job. Long hours, time away from family and friends on holidays, and physical and emotional stress are aspects of the job nurses must contend with. Add in the fact that the medical field is constantly evolving with advanced technology, and there is a lot of expectations that are placed on a nurse.
Here at Avantas, we love talking about data and technology and how they can improve the coordination of care, eliminate inefficiencies, and reduce labor costs. But most importantly, we love hearing about the impact that predictive analytics and workforce strategies have on staff. Just as we aim to make improvements in workforce operations for healthcare organizations, we also strive to have a positive impact in the lives of nurses and other staff.
Born out of a healthcare organization, we understand the challenges facing nursing leaders when attempting to schedule their staff. We know that the chaos of staffing can keep managers from other duties such as staff development – a key responsibility that leads to staff satisfaction.
Predictive analytics has been used in a range of industries for well over a decade, and has recently taken off in healthcare. One area in which predictive analytics can add tremendous value is in staff scheduling by accurately aligning caregivers to meet patient demand weeks in advance. With this clarity, predictive analytics is able to deliver valuable time back to managers to devote to more fulfilling duties.
Accurately forecasting staffing needs is made possible by using time series analysis to analyze past data to look for trends and patterns and make a forecast of events that recur over time. This technique is particularly relevant to forecasting patient volumes. This enables provider organizations to make better, more accurate schedules sooner; ensuring the right number and types of caregivers are in the right place at the right time.
Predictive analytics has proven to benefit staff members as well, with improved satisfaction rates. A nurse who consistently works their expected schedule with minimum cancellations and assignment changes will be more satisfied in their role, impacting the care they give patients and keeping them from getting burned out.
In the rapidly changing environment that is healthcare, we strive to constantly innovate – inspired by the healthcare professionals we work with. For those working on the front lines of healthcare, we acknowledge the challenges facing caregivers and are motivated to streamline work processes to efficiently improve the coordination of care they deliver.