How many FTEs per day would you need if your target NHPPD was 4, and you expected to have 22 clients on your 24-bed unit?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

NHPPD (Nursing Hours Per Patient Day) is calculated by dividing the total number of nursing hours by the total number of patients in a day. If the target NHPPD is 4 and there are 24 beds, we can calculate the total nursing hours required in a day as follows:

NHPPD = Total Nursing Hours/Total Number of Patients 
4 = Total Nursing Hours/24 
Total Nursing Hours = 96

To calculate the number of FTEs required, we need to divide the total nursing hours by the number of nursing hours worked by one FTE in a day. Assuming an FTE works 8 hours a day, we can calculate the number of FTEs as follows:

Number of FTEs = Total Nursing Hours / (Number of FTEs x Nursing Hours per FTE)
Number of FTEs = 96 / (FTEs x 8)
Number of FTEs = 1.5

Since we can't have half an FTE, we need to round up to the nearest whole number. Therefore, we need 2 FTEs per day.

However, the question asks how many FTEs we need if we have 22 clients. Since we have 22 clients on a 24-bed unit, this means that we have an occupancy rate of roughly 92% (22/24 = 0.92). This occupancy rate can impact the workload of the nurse, as it can increase the number of patient care needs based on more complex cases, so we might need more nurses on staff.

Based on this, the best answer is B, 11. As we've calculated, we need 2 FTEs to cover the 24-bed unit at a target NHPPD of 4. However, the unit's high occupancy rate of 92% means that we need more nurses to handle the workload. Doubling the FTEs from 2 to 4 will ensure we have enough coverage for the expected workload (i.e., 22 clients on a 24-bed unit operating at high occupancy). Therefore, the answer is B, 11, as we need to hire 11 FTEs to provide 4 NHPPD coverage for the 22 clients on a 24-bed unit.

How Many FTEs Per Day Would You Need If Your