ANM Staffing, Scheduling, and Workforce Planning

Question 1

Which staffing model distributes nursing hours based on patient acuity and the complexity of care required?

Accepted Answer

Patient acuity-based staffing model

Answer

Fixed staffing model

Answer

Self-scheduling model

Answer

Cyclical scheduling model

Question 2

An ANM notices that overtime hours have increased by 20% over the past quarter. What is the FIRST step in addressing this workforce issue?

Accepted Answer

Analyze data to identify root causes of the overtime trend

Answer

Immediately hire additional per diem staff

Answer

Mandate that nurses reduce overtime hours

Answer

Implement a self-scheduling system

Question 3

The nurse-to-patient ratio recommended for a general medical-surgical unit according to most evidence-based guidelines is:

Accepted Answer

1:4 to 1:6

Answer

1:2

Answer

1:8 to 1:10

Answer

1:1

Question 4

Which of the following is a PRIMARY advantage of cyclical or rotating scheduling for nursing staff?

Accepted Answer

Provides predictability and consistency for staff planning

Answer

Allows complete flexibility for individual nurses

Answer

Eliminates the need for float pool nurses

Answer

Ensures all nurses work only day shifts

Question 5

A float pool is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

A group of cross-trained staff deployed to units based on census fluctuations

Answer

Nurses who exclusively work night shifts

Answer

Agency nurses contracted for a minimum of 13 weeks

Answer

Staff assigned permanently to one high-census unit

Question 6

When a unit is unexpectedly short-staffed mid-shift, the ANM's PRIORITY action is to:

Accepted Answer

Assess patient safety risk and obtain immediate coverage resources

Answer

Document the shortage and notify administration the next day

Answer

Ask all nurses to increase their patient assignments by 50%

Answer

Cancel elective procedures to reduce the patient census

Question 7

Full-time equivalent (FTE) is defined as:

Accepted Answer

The equivalent of one employee working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks

Answer

The total number of staff employed on a unit at one time

Answer

A metric measuring overtime costs per nurse

Answer

The ratio of part-time to full-time nurses on a unit