Tips for Staffing Captains

We need to make sure the data we collect is accurate, and that we send in our reports on every shift. We asked other NYSNA staffing captains and NYSNA team of data analysts for some tips, and here's what they had to say: 

1. Make sure you put the number of patients (nurses) first, then the number of patients. If you put it the other way around, it will make it look like staffing is good when it's actually the pits. 

The report should look like this: 4-23, where 4 is the number of bedside nurses and 23 is the number of patients.

2. The more the merrier. Make sure you have enough captains to cover every shift on your unit -- and to cover you when you take a day off or go on vacation. There's no such thing as too many captains on a unit. 

You can recruit someone to be a captain by getting them to text "captain" to 877-877, and then filling out this form.

3.  Are your texts to 877-877 not going through? Your cell phone company probably has put a block on what they call "short-code texts." You'll need to call customer service and ask them to remove the block. In the meantime, you can text your report to 786-800-5067. You won't get reminders but at least you can send in your report. 

4. Make it a habit. Set a time each day when you'll send in your report. We send a text reminder to you once a day during the week, but you can send in your reports any time and any day. If you report the same time each day, you'll be more likely to remember to do it. 

5. If it's unsafe, file a POA -- every time. You can download a Protest of Assignment form here.