Click on the links below for unit-by-unit reports on what caregivers will be on staff in a given day.
How to Read and Understand Staffing Plans
Many healthcare professionals care for you as part of a team when you are hospitalized. A nurse cares for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week and partners with many other healthcare professionals - including your doctor - to meet your varying care needs. On staffing plans, "Direct Caregivers" may include nursing aides, assistants and respiratory therapists, among others. Team members listed in the "Additional Team Member" section, such as clinical pharmacists, nutritionists, IV Therapy Teams and Staff Educators also help coordinate and deliver your care.
There are many variables to consider in terms of what constitutes safe, efficient staffing for a particular hospital unit. Every patient care unit is different based upon the types of patients cared for on that unit, and the way in which care is organized and delivered there. Staffing for individual units can vary based on the education and experience level of the staff, support from nurse educators and nurse managers on a given unit, as well as on the unique characteristics and mission of the hospital. It is also important to look at hospitals' patient outcomes such as fall rates, pressure ulcer rates and Hospital Compare measures - including heart attack care, heart failure care, pneumonia care and surgical care - in the Performance Measures section of PatientCareLink.
Nurses
Your assigned nurse (primary nurse) will be most involved in your day-to-day care and oversee all aspects of your stay. There are various kinds of nurses, all of whom are licensed professionals with different levels of training and specialization. These include LPNs with nursing diplomas, and RNs with associate degrees, bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. Your nurse may call on other staff nurses to help with your care, including evaluations or treatments.
Nurse Manager
The nurse manager oversees all the care on a particular unit. The nurse taking care of you is supported by the nurse manager.
Staff Educator
These nurses serve as educational resources to staff, giving them the latest information about medication, treatments or technology.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
Clinical nurse specialists have master's degrees in a specialty and provide teaching and support to patients in their particular area of knowledge.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed additional courses and specialized training. They can diagnose and treat illnesses in their specialty. Some nurse practitioners can prescribe medications. They work under the supervision of a physician.
Other Team Members:
Nurses aren't the only professionals caring for you. Here are examples of some of the others who may be part of your care team:
Patient Observer
A patient observer is like a sitter and maintains constant watch over a single patient for safety reasons.
Clinical Pharmacist
A clinical pharmacist participates directly with the healthcare team and influences the quality and safety of medication use in a variety of ways. These may include: making rounds on the patient units, reviewing medication orders for safety, providing recommendations, consulting on patient discharge medications and educating patients.
Dietitian
A registered dietitian (RD) is a food and nutrition expert who provides dietary support, counseling and/or education to patients, family and/or nurses to ensure appropriate nutritional care.
Hospitalist
Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in caring for hospitalized patients. They can focus all their attention on caring for patients inside the hospital, including coordinating and consulting with your other doctors, and keeping you and your family informed.
IV Therapy Team/Line Access
This team is available to put in IV lines and to troubleshoot IV placement issues.
Intensivist/Neonatologist
These specialized doctors are located in the critical care units to support and direct the care of critically ill adults and newborns.
Intern/Resident
Medical school graduate doctors who are gaining supervised practical or specialized experience in a hospital setting may be part of your care team.
Licensed Social Services / Case Management Workers
These staff are healthcare professionals who help patients deal with crises, cope with their illness, solve problems, enhance communication with members of the healthcare team and access hospital and community services.
Patient Transport Team
These staff members take patients and their equipment to and from tests, procedures and appointments within the hospital.
Physician
Your own medical doctor may be taking care of you while you are in the hospital, or may have a hospitalist, a surgeon or a specialist manage your hospital care.
Physician Assistant (PA)
PAs provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, with supervision from physicians. They should not be confused with medical assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks.
Rapid Response Team
In some hospitals, Rapid Response Team clinicians provide critical care expertise and respond to a patient's bedside to assist with a serious change in a patient's condition and if appropriate, a change in treatment. All hospitals have some method of rapid response.
Recreation/Milieu Therapist
Recreation/milieu therapists provide planned activities that support patient care on hospital units--most often in psychiatric settings.
Rehabilitation Activities
Physical therapists (PT), speech and language pathologists, and occupational therapists (OT) and their assistants are available to provide individual or group therapy to individual patients based on their specific needs, with a focus on resolving or improving the functional status of those patients.
Occupational Therapists (OT)
Offer skilled treatment to help individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives.
Physical therapists (PT)
Spend their time focusing on the large motor groups that contribute to walking, reaching, standing and physical activities.
Respiratory Therapist
These individuals perform testing and provide respiratory treatments to diagnose and manage the care of patients with lung and breathing problems. They also monitor and maintain respiratory equipment, and provide patient education.
Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP)
Includes nursing assistants, orderlies, patient care technicians / assistants, and graduate nurses not yet licensed who have completed unit orientation.