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THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SET OF TOOLS TO EVALUATE…

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Health and Human Services 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
3368 		Program Year/Program:
1985 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
3368 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
CYBERNETIC HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION
CYBERNETIC HEALTH SYSTEMS CORP BOX 1185 ANN ARBOR, MI 48106
View profile »
Woman-Owned: Yes
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 1985
Title: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SET OF TOOLS TO EVALUATE PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES AMONG SEVERAL NURSE STAFFING SYSTEMS.
Agency: HHS
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $49,647.00
 

Abstract:

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SET OF TOOLS TO EVALUATE PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES AMONG SEVERAL NURSE STAFFING SYSTEMS. THE TOOLS WILL CONSIST OF A SET OF COMPUTER SIMULATION PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND INPUTS FORM THE FOLLOWING INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: WORKLOAD VARIATION, WORKLOAD LEVEL, NURSING CARE STAFF AVAILABLE, WARD STRUCTURE, AND ONE OF FOUR POSSIBLE MASTER NURSE STAFFING PATTERNS. PROGRAM OUTPUTS (DEPENDENT VARIABLES) INCLUDE WAGE COSTS, FREQUENCY OF UNDERSTAFFING AND OVERSTAFFING, AND DEGREE OF UNDERSTAFFING AND OVERSTAFFING. THE PROGRAM WILL ALSO MEASURE THE NUMBER OF NURSES FLOATED INTO AND OUT OF EACH WARD FOR STAFFING SYSTEMS WHICH REQUIRE NURSES TO FLOAT AMONG WARDS. THE RESEARCH METHOD IS THE MATCHED SAMPLE POSTTEST-ONLY DESIGN. COMPUTER SIMULATION IS EMPLOYED TO ACHIEVE PERFECT MATCHING OF INDEPENDENT VARIABLES, AND CONTROL OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES. SMALL HOSPITAL (100 BEDS IN 4 WARDS) PILOT SIMULATIONS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED USING A MAINFRAME COMPUTER. PHASE I WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF APPLYING THIS METHODOLOGY TO THE STUDY OF LARGER INSTITUTIONS (400 OR MORE BEDS), AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF USING MICROCOMPUTERS FOR THE COMMERCIAL APPLICATION. MAINFRAME COMPUTERS ARE NOT GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO NURSE MANAGERS. THEREFORE, PHASE II WILL REQUIRE A MAJOR REPROGRAMMING EFFORT SO THE SIMULATIONS CAN BE RUN ON A MICROCOMPUTER. THE FINAL PRODUCT WILL BE AN INNOVATIVE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL WHICH CAN BE MARKETED TO HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, AND OTHER MULTIWARD HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS.

Principal Investigator:

Mary lynn mchugh
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
3139941500

Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

Cybernetic Health Systems
P.o. Box 1185 Mi Ann Arbor, MI 48106

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No