ROSTER MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR NURSES, MIDWIVES AND THEATRE PRACTITIONERS
Version / 3Name of responsible (ratifying) committee / Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee
Date ratified / 03 March 2016
Document Manager (job title) / Nicky Sinden – Lead Nurse for Workforce
Date issued / 21 April 2016
Review date / 21 April 2018
Electronic location / Nursing & Midwifery Policies
Related Procedural Documents / Management of Attendance Policy
Key Words (to aid with searching) / Rota; rostering; roster; nurses; midwives; roster management; skill mix; European working time directives; flexible working patterns
Version Tracking
Version / Date Ratified / Brief Summary of Changes / Author3 / 03.03.2016 / Updated / Nicky Sinden
2 / 14.11.2013 / Updated / Nicky Sinden
1 / 06.04.2011 / New policy / Nicky Sinden
CONTENTS
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………...... Page 4
2. PURPOSE……………………… ……………………………………….….Page 4
3. SCOPE………………………………………………………………………… Page 4
4. DEFINITIONS…………………………………………………………………..Page 5
5. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ………………………….…Page 5
6. PROCESS… ………………………………………………………………. Page 6
7. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS...... ….Page 15
8. REFERENES AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION……… …………Page 16
9. EQUALITY IMPACT STATEMENT ……………………………………..Page 16
10. MONITORING COMPLIANCE………………………………………………Page 17
Appendices:
Appendix 1: Ward Manager and Matron roster checklist
Appendix 2: What to do if you have a staffing shortfall
Appendix 3: Process for booking temporary staff
Appendix 4: Guidelines for the rostering of Student Nurses – University of Southampton
Appendix 5: Student Roster Management - Open University
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
This policy must be followed in full when developing or reviewing and amending Trust procedural documents.
For quick reference the guide below is a summary of actions required. This does not negate the need for the document author and others involved in the process to be aware of and follow the detail of this policy. The quick reference can take the form of a list or a flow chart, if the latter would more easily explain the key issues within the body of the document
1. Any rota produced must be in a standard format – utilising e-rostering
2. The rota must provide staff numbers and skill mix to meet the needs of the service, be equitable in the management of requests and weekend shifts
3. Rotas should ensure that shift patterns conform with European working time directives (EWTD) and this roster management policy
4. All shift patterns must enable staff to have their required break
5. All rotas must be produced and published at least 4 weeks in advance.
6. All rotas must meet the minimum standards in this policy and the planned staffing numbers as per the budgeted establishment.
7. The published rota is the responsibility of the ward manager and must be signed off prior to publication in agreement with the Matron for the area or in their absence the Head of Nursing.
8. Any changes to a published rota must be approved and recorded by the ward manager or their one designated deputy. A record of that change must be documented for audit purposes.
1. INTRODUCTION
The provision of a well-planned staff rota, based on the resources available and the needs of the ward or departments patients, is essential to ensure the provision of safe effective care. A poorly designed rota can lead to over or under-staffing (dependent of current establishment) of a ward with critical implications for both quality of care and resource utilisation. (Silvestro & Silvestro 2000) In order for managers to make the most effective use of staff time, they need to take into account the effect of shift patterns on individuals and how shift work can meet the needs of the organisation. (Wilson 2002)
This policy details the minimum standards required to achieve an effective roster within wards and departments.
It should be noted that the Trust is supportive of innovative approaches to rostering that enable staff to work more flexibly whilst still providing the optimum staffing levels required to care for our patients and to meet service requirements.
The minimum standards described, require that all rosters are recorded via e-Rostering, commence on a Monday in 4 week cycles in line with the Week 1 start date of 18th January 2016, ideally completed at least 6 weeks in advance.
2. PURPOSE
· To ensure safe & appropriate staffing levels for all wards and departments using fair and consistent duty rota planning
· Minimise clinical risk associated with the level and skill mix of nursing & midwifery staffing levels.
· To provide effective management of the nursing & midwifery establishments, improving efficiencies in the workforce across all wards and departments.
· To provide clear guidance to ward/unit managers responsible for roster development and management of the minimum standards required.
· To improve the utilisation of existing staff to maintain consistent duty rotas.
· To improve planning of clinical and non-clinical working days e.g. annual leave (inc Bank Holiday), sickness, study leave.
· To standardise break allowances
· To ensure provision of senior nursing cover daily.
· To enable flexible working patterns and a positive work life balance in line with service requirements where service needs allow
· Promote the well-being of staff by the provision of fair rosters
· To introduce standardisation of roster management whilst enabling specialty specific flexibility
· This policy should be read in conjunction with local and corporate HR policies and guidance
3. SCOPE
The policy applies to all nurses, midwives and operating theatre practitioner staff involved in the development and management of rosters for wards and departments
‘In the event of an infection outbreak, flu pandemic or major incident, the Trust recognises that it may not be possible to adhere to all aspects of this document. In such circumstances, staff should take advice from their manager and all possible action must be taken to maintain ongoing patient and staff safety’
4. DEFINITIONS
Trust = Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Ward = Ward, Department or Unit
Ward Manager = Ward Manager, Ward Sister, Charge Nurse, Clinical Lead
Non- effective working days = relates to days that staff are not available for the roster i.e. leave, study days, management days, sickness
One request = One day off or one shift on request
Permanent staff= Staff who have permanent contracted hours
Temporary staff = NHSP/Bank/Agency Staff
Variations in shifts = Differing start and finish times to the regular shifts
Headroom = Relates to the percentage of non-effective working days that are included in each establishment
Personal Pattern – Every week the member of staff works the same shift on the same day
Roster = Duty Rota
EWTD = European Working Times Directive
WTE = Whole time equivalent
E-Rostering = Electronic rostering system
Oceans Blue = Time management tool
5. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Heads of Nursing have responsibility for providing assurance that all staff responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of rosters, are aware of the requirements within this policy. They are also responsible for ensuring that rosters in their CSCs meet roster policy requirements and that any use of temporary workforce or overtime is within budgeted establishments or variance can be evidenced.
Matrons are responsible for ensuring all ward managers are aware of and have a detailed understanding of the requirements within this policy. They are also responsible for identifying any training needs of the ward manager relating to roster development and accessing appropriate training if required. Matrons are required to scrutinise and sign off all rosters for their clinical areas. Matrons are required to manage the use of temporary staff and report variance against establishment to the Heads of Nursing.
Ward managers (or designated deputy) are responsible for providing a roster that complies with this policy. They are also responsible for the management of non-effective working time (annual leave etc.) in line with this policy and the reduction of the accumulation of Paid Contracted hours and the responsibility to ensure that any hours owed are worked within the next 4 week roster.
Individuals are responsible for ensuring they check rosters as they are published and ensure they are on time for the shifts they are allocated. Individuals are also responsible for ensuring that they work their contracted hours and that they highlight to their manager if they are not allocated the correct hours in the roster.
6. PROCESS
Planning the roster
To maintain consistency and so staff know in advance the shifts they are working, rosters will be completed and published at least 4 weeks in advance, ideally 6 weeks.
Prior to publication rosters will be signed off by the ward manager (or designates deputy) and the Matron.
The Matron should undertake the checks detailed in appendix 1 and make relevant adjustments before signing off. Appendix 2 and 3 should be referred to if difficulty achieving a balanced roster
When writing the roster the following rules should apply:
· An identified nurse in charge will be rostered and highlighted on each shift
· There will be an appropriate agreed skill mix on each shift which should be spread evenly throughout the 7 day working week.
· Staff numbers on shifts will be consistent in line with essential or optimum numbers.
· Roster requests will be agreed and prioritised by the ward manager, provided that roster rules in regard to cover, skill mix and annual leave can be met.
· Requests will be granted in a fair and equitable way. E-Rostering will facilitate an equitable allocation of requests to individual staff.
· Only in exceptional circumstances will staff who are employed on set hours or term time contracts, request alternative shifts or days off. This will require negotiation with another member of staff to cover their set shift.
· Flexibility will be promoted within the ward team
· Any duty rota changes must be legible, trackable and agreed with the ward manager or designated deputy.
· The annual leave allocation will not exceed or drop below the agreed weekly quota for each individual area (see section Annual Leave)
· Careful consideration by the Ward Manager and Matron, should be given to the appropriateness of rostering two members of staff who are in personal relationship, onto the same shifts. This should be discussed fully with the staff in question.
The following details should be displayed on each duty roster:
· Trust logo
· Ward/Department/Unit name
· First name and surname of each member of staff
· Clinical grade of each member of staff
· Professional qualification of each member of staff i.e. RN
· WTE and hours per week for each member of staff
· Actual hours rostered for the roster period for each member of staff
· Tally of actual numbers of RN’s on each shift.
· Tally of actual numbers of HCSW’s on each shift
· Ongoing tally of hours worked i.e. show positive or negative balance of hours worked by staff
· Vacancies expressed in wte for each grade
· Signature of ward manager
· Signature of matron
· Show a key of the abbreviations and times of shifts worked in that ward area
· Clearly show meal break allowances for each shift
Ward Managers Shift Patterns
To facilitate effective leadership, availability and visibility, the ward manager should work a:
· Minimum of 4 day shifts each week, ideally 5 day shifts
· Maximum one late shift per week
· Maximum 9.5 hour clinical shifts, ideally 7.5 hour shifts
· Maximum 2 weekend shifts each 4 week period
· Not work regular night shifts unless there is an exceptional clinical need or unresolved staffing problem.
· Ward managers supervisory or management day shifts must be 7.5 hrs.
This is based on 1 wte, if job share in place then shifts should be determined based on wte.
Band 7s who work in departments where they do not fulfill the ward manager role will be expected to work the shifts required by the department
Student Nurses
Student nurses are required to work a minimum number of hours in practice before they are eligible to register on completion of their training. Evidence of shifts worked by student nurses should be clearly shown on the duty rota, applying the same codes for any absences.
Student nurses should be rostered to work a minimum of 40% of their shifts with their mentor.
When not working with their mentor students should be rostered to work with a buddy or other suitably qualified member of staff.
See appendix 4 & 5 – Guidance on rostering for Student Nurses
Self Rostering
Self rostering is an approach to rostering that allows staff to design their own roster.
For self rostering to be successful the ward manager will first need to:
· Calculate essential available shift coverage from staff currently in post. (This will be different from optimum shift numbers, if the ward is carrying some vacancies)
· Ensure an even shift coverage of shifts available for selection
· Determine grade and skills required of staff required for each shift
· Determine popular and unpopular shifts, set local rules of minimum number of the unpopular shifts each member of staff is required to work, adapted to WTE.
Shift Patterns and European Working Directive
All shifts and time off must be recorded on the duty roster. A code should be assigned to each shift. The codes are determined within the e-Rostering system
EARLY SHIFTS
An early shift should be a max 8 hours in length with a 30 minute unpaid break. To conform to EWTD this break must be taken during the shift and not at the end or beginning of the shift. The start and finish times for an early shift will be determined by each individual ward or department.
Example early shifts
07.00 – 15.00 (1 x 30 minute break) – 7.5 hrs paid
07.30 – 15.30 (1 x 30 minute break) – 7.5 hrs paid
07:30 – 14:30 (1 x 30 minute break) – 6.5 hrs paid
07:30 – 14:00 (1 x 30 minute break) – 6 hrs paid
LATE SHIFTS
A late shift should be a maximum 8 hours in length with a 30 minute unpaid break. To conform to EWTD this break must be taken during the shift and not at the end or beginning of the shift. The start and finish times for a late shift will be determined by each individual ward or department