Nursing model working group reaffirms our commitment to patient- and family-centred care

The nursing model group’s goal was to determine the highest level of continuity achievable and how it could be maximized for the patient population.

When patients and families speak, Runnymede Healthcare Centre listens.

In August 2019, the hospital changed its nursing assignment model to improve the continuity of patient care.

While the new model led to enhanced patient care throughout the hospital, the changes left some family members of the hospital’s medically complex patients with concerns.

In response to that feedback, Runnymede established a nursing assignment working group that included representation from clinical leadership and staff, patient relations, and family members.

“The goal of the group was to determine the highest level of patient continuity and how it can be maximized for the patient population,” said interim 2nd Floor Patient Care Manager Retu Sapple.

Together, the group reviewed the current nursing assignment and the family members received education related to staffing and scheduling.

Working with family members, the nursing assignment model was further changed to incorporate improvements determined as a result of the working group, including scheduling nursing staff on a specific floor for a six-week rotation to maximize patient continuity.

The group also made recommendations on non-clinical issues, such as revising forms to include more staff prompts to ensure patients and families were encouraged to be active participants in the patient-specific care plans and patient goals.

“At the end they were happy and content with the feedback and we discharged the group after our third session,” Sapple says. “Ultimately, co-designing our model with family members led to greater satisfaction and enhanced the care we provide.”