Cost Analysis of Providing Overtime to Current Nurses Versus Hiring a Dedicated Nurse for COVID-19 Management in a Processing Plant.
Workplace Health Saf
; 70(1): 24-30, 2022 Jan.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1626618
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
U.S. meat and poultry processing workers experienced a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 illness following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Managing prevention and surveillance activities for COVID-19 prevention required additional work for occupational health nurses. The purpose of this project was to conduct a cost analysis for two staffing options to address the increased workload for occupational health nurses.METHODS:
An economic quality improvement design was used for this study. The project was performed at a meat and poultry processing plant with 1,800 employees and six occupational health nurses. Two staffing options were considered. Option 1 was to continue to pay current occupational health nurses overtime, and Option 2 was to hire a COVID-dedicated nurse to manage the increased workload. A cost analysis was conducted for wages per hour plus benefits at three time points 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years.FINDINGS:
Costs for Option 1 (continuing overtime) at 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years were estimated at US$27,370, US$109,517, and US$328,550, respectively. Costs for Option 2 (hiring a COVID-dedicated nurse) at 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years were estimated at US$44,279, US$94,979, and US$230,179, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE Hiring a dedicated COVID nurse would save the processing plant extensive salary costs by Year 3. Reducing overtime had the potential to decrease the COVID-19-related workload and potential experiences of fatigue and burnout in occupational health nurses.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
/
Nurses
Type of study:
Qualitative research
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Workplace Health Saf
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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