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Multiple Criteria Decision Models For Nurse-Patient Assignment: Balancing Workload And Continuity Of Care, Haoqiang Jiang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Continuity of care is critical for delivering high-quality care, yet has seldom been considered in models supporting nurse-patient assignment decisions within inpatient units. Research in the nursing literature suggests that assigning nurses to patients they have cared for previously can help reduce care-related error rates and increase patient satisfaction. However, it is also essential to ensure that patient workloads are allocated to nursing staff in a balanced manner to avoid overwork and burnout.

This study investigates the tradeoffs associated with the assignment of patients to nurses in inpatient settings under the dual objective of maximizing continuity of care and minimizing …