Patient dependency scoring as indices for determining staffing adequacy

Patient-dependency scoring system was developed based on assessment of patients' condition, in the intensive care unit within the casuality department. Criteria for classification were identified. Patients were classified into three categories: high, medium and low-dependency care groups. Not all the seriously ill patients require the same hours of nursing care. The average number of hours required per patient per shift varied from low to high dependency-care groups namely from one and half up to six hours. It is proposed to use the developed system, as cost-effective, in the ICUC for the projection of staffing requirements