Staffing Skill Mix in Providing Quality Patient Care.The nursing profession is recognized as one of the most diverse healthcare professions. A nurse may acquire training of 12 to 18 months to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Registered Nurses (RN’s) may graduate with a two- or three-year diploma, a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree. Nurses may also pursue a master’s degree or a doctorate of nursing science, or specialize with an advanced practice degree to become a nurse practitioner.

Nurses play a variety of roles in leadership on the hospital healthcare team. These levels range from working in direct patient care or as a charge nurse, managing and directing nursing units, working in case management to assist people through the healthcare pipeline, working in quality areas or risk management or infection control, or working in advanced management in the positions of vice president of patient care or chief nursing officer.

At Community Medical Center, one of the ways we provide quality care to our patients is by using a staffing skill mix in a majority of our patient care units. Staffing skill mix is using the combination of RN’s and LPN’s to provide patient care. The staff skill mix chosen is based on the scope of practice of an RN or LPN, as it applies to specific needs of an assigned group of patients. The skill and scope of practice, continuity of care and the ability to provide the highest quality of care are all factors in determining appropriate patient assignments. For example, on CMC’s Medical/Surgical Unit, each patient group is assigned an RN or LPN. RN’s and LPN’s work collaboratively to assess patients and develop a plan of care to create the best outcome for them.

We recognize that patients look to their healthcare providers to take excellent care of them. When a patient is hospitalized, they expect from us what we expect from ourselves, delivery of the best care possible. No matter how nurses find their way into the profession, we are all held to our state rules and statutes, a defined scope of practice, and our code of ethics.

In addition to being a caring profession, nursing is a technical profession, built around evidence-based practice. At CMC, we aspire to work in a culture of safety. We do this by striving to achieve compliance with National Patient Safety Goals and by choosing to be sanctioned by an entity that accredits hospitals on a national scale, The Joint Commission. These are a few of the ways we aim to create a culture of safety. Our utmost goal with skill mix and all of our patient care is to do right by our patients.

By Shannon St. Onge, RN