What You Should Know:
– Laudio and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership announced the release of the inaugural Quantifying Nurse Manager Impact report, which delivers insights into the impact of nurse managers on health system financial outcomes and key factors that can impede this impact.
– Leveraging Laudio’s unique data set, the report provides first-of-its-kind data on the influence of leader-team member engagement on nurse retention – a pervasive and costly challenge for health systems nationwide.
Right-Sizing Nurse Manager Workloads: Key to Financial Success and Staff Retention in Healthcare
Nurse managers play a critical role in any healthcare setting, leading clinical and operational functions that directly impact patient care. This report highlights the importance of ensuring nurse managers have the time, resources, and support they need to be effective. A key factor influencing their success is the span of control or the number of direct reports they oversee.
The Burden of Large Teams
The report analyzes data from the Laudio dataset, revealing a median span of control of 46 for nurse managers. However, a concerning 25% of inpatient managers oversee 78 or more staff members. Emergency departments (EDs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have the highest average spans of control, placing a significant burden on managers in these critical areas.
Assistant Nurse Managers: A Potential Solution:
While 56% of nurse managers have at least one assistant nurse manager for support, only a small percentage fully utilize them to reduce their direct reports. This suggests a missed opportunity to optimize workloads.
The Financial Impact of Span of Control
The report highlights the financial benefits of right-sizing nurse manager workloads. Here’s how it impacts the bottom line:
- Reduced Nurse Turnover: Managers with fewer direct reports have more time for purposeful interactions with their staff, leading to lower nurse turnover. This translates to significant cost savings for healthcare systems, as replacing registered nurses (RNs) is expensive.
- Improved Efficiency: Managers with larger teams struggle to maintain accountability, leading to a rise in corrective actions. Additionally, they experience higher costs due to increased overtime and higher RN turnover.
- Assistant Nurse Managers: A Strategic Investment: While assistant nurse managers can be beneficial in balancing workloads, too many can be counterproductive. The report suggests a strategic approach to ensure role clarity and maximize their effectiveness.
Investing in Nurse Managers: A Smart Business Decision
The report presents a compelling financial case for supporting nurse managers:
- Reduce Span of Control: When feasible, splitting large departments into smaller units can significantly improve efficiency.
- Strategic Use of Assistant Managers: Hiring assistant nurse managers can help manage larger teams, but ensure their roles are clearly defined.
- Streamline Workload: Reducing administrative tasks or reallocating them can free up valuable time for managers to focus on leading their teams.
- Invest in Technology: Software platforms fostering efficient team communication can empower managers to stay connected with their staff.
“Nurse managers have one of the hardest jobs in health care. They have 24-hour responsibility caring for their nursing team and patients,” said Robyn Begley, CEO of AONL and chief nursing officer, SVP of workforce at the American Hospital Association. “Nurse leaders can use this data to make operational adjustments in real time to support these vital frontline leaders.”
