Using Mathematical Modeling to Improve the Emergency Department Nurse-Scheduling Process

Introduction: Nurse scheduling within an emergency department can be a very time-consuming process as nursing leadership works to reach sufficient nurse-staffing levels across every day of the schedule while also working to satisfy nurse preferences. Methods: A mathematical model is formulated to determine nursing shifts to minimize the number of shifts across a day while accounting for staffing level requirements, nurse preferences, and meal breaks. Results: A daily schedule based on nursing shifts was created and used within the self-scheduling process. Implementing the schedule improved nurse-staffing levels while decreasing the time necessary to reconcile the monthly schedule, resulting in the potential to increase nurse satisfaction. Discussion: The emergency department can use mathematical modeling to improve the nurse-scheduling process.