Patient assignment refers to how nursing work is divided among staff. There are several methods of patient assignment: 1. Case method assigns one nurse total responsibility for a patient's care during their shift. 2. Functional method divides work into tasks assigned to different personnel based on skill. 3. Team nursing uses a group of healthcare workers led by a team leader to provide total care for a defined patient population. Factors considered in assignments include staff qualifications, patient acuity, and unit features. The primary nursing method assigns one registered nurse primary responsibility for 4-6 patients' care throughout their hospital stay.

1. PATIENT ASSIGNMENT

2. TOPIC
PATIENT ASSIGNMENT

5. Definition:
Refers to the manner in which the
total work of the nursing unit is
divided up among personnel.

6. Patient assignment
Inthepatientmethodof assignmentanurse
isaexpectedtogivecompletenursingcare
tooneormorepatientincludinggeneral
nursingmeasures,treatments,medications,
takingtemperature,pulse,respiration

7. Nursing assessment is the
gathering of information about
a patient's physiological,
psychological, sociological, and
spiritual status by a licensed
Registered Nurse. Nursing
assessment is the first step in
the nursing process. A section of
the nursing assessment may be
delegated to certified nurses aides.

8. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this topic the student will be
able to:
 Clarify purposes of nursing assignment.
 Identify principles of nursing assignment.
 Determine factors to be considered in
distributing duties.
 Differentiate between different methods of
nursing assignment.

9. Purposes:
 -To provide patient with best possible nursing



care.
To provide a well rounded education
experience for student nurses.
-Suggest appropriate procedures for nursing
care, with maximum efficiency with minimum
effort.
-Gain the cooperation of workers in the

acceptance of work to be done.
-Serve as work plan.

10. Formulate assignment of activities based on the
following principles:
- Use simple clear words in writing assignment.
-Fix responsibility for all duties clearly with no
overlapping.
-Provide for emergency situations and provide for
special nursing activities.
-Give each person time and opportunity to plan her
work.

11. - Assignment must include information from the
nursing orders as well as from the doctor's orders.
- Arrange the various parts of the assignment in
logical order.
- Ensure continuity of patient care.
- Assignment should be made in accordance with the
administrative policies.
- It should be made by the head nurse.
- Planning for skills development

12. --Should be in written form.
-Based on accurate assessment.
-Two workers should never be assigned to do
the same work.
-It should be related to previous assignment.

13.  Factors to be considered in distributing
duties:
- Thenumber,qualifications,experience,and
abilitiesof nurses.
-The number,conditionof patients(i.e. patient's
acuity)
-The availabilityof suppliesandequipment.
-Architecturalfeaturesof theunit.

14.  Methods of assigning
personnel:
 Therearefivemethodsof assignmentin
general use:
.Case method-1
.Functionalmethod-2
.Teamnursing method-3
.Primarycare method-4
.Modular method-5

15. 1-The case method:
-Is the oldest patient care delivery system.
-In this system one must assume total
responsibility for the complete care of the
patient while she is on duty.
-The patient has different nurse in each shift.
-Is used frequently in intensive care unit.
-As a method for teaching student nurses.
-Is widely used in home health agencies.

16. Advantages:
-Qualityof patient care ishigh.
-Patient satisfaction Is high.
Disadvantage:
-Limitedcontinuityofcare.
-High cost.

17.  2-Functional nursing method:
Work assignmentaredividedinto tasksandassigned
tonursingandancillarypersonnel.ItIsataskfocus.

18. Advantages:
-Need less equipmentand
supplies.
-It is efficientwhenthere is
shortage of staff.
- Cost effective.

19. Disadvantages:
-Fragmented care.
- No one nurse is familiar with
patienttotalneeds.
- Itis difficultto fix
responsibility forerrors.
- Depersonalizedpatientcare.
- Lesssatisfactionfornursesand
patients.

20. 3-Team nursing method:
-Team nursing uses a group of health care
workers with varied skills, and training. They
are directed by a leader to provide total
services for a defined patient population.
-Team nursing usually refers to large group of
patients.

21. -The team leader plans, coordinates and
supervises, evaluates and participates in the
delivery of care to patients.
-The main features of team nursing are the
nursing care plan and team conference.

22. Advantages:
- Highqualityof care.
- Nursessatisfactionishigh.
- Patientsandphysiciansatisfaction
is high.
- Developmentof leadership skills.

23. Disadvantages:
-Veryhigh cost.
-Moretimeneededbytheteamtomeet
and shareideasandcoordinate
efforts.
-Needmoreequipmentandsupplies.

24. 4-Modular method:
Itisacombinationof primarymethod
andteam method.
-Variedfromprimarynursingthat,itcanbe
usedwhennursingstaff includespractical
nursesandprofessional nurses.

25. -Itissimilartoprimaryassignmentinthat
eachpairof nursingpersonnelis
responsibleforcareof patientfrom
admissionto discharge.
-Itissimilartoteamnursingthat
professionalandnonprofessionalworkers
worktogether.

26. 5-Primary nursing method:
-Primary nursing features a registered nurse who
gives total patient care from four to six
patients, while she is on duty; and remains
responsible for the care of these patients
twenty four hours a day throughout the
patient's hospitalization.

27. -The associate nurse care for the patients by using the
care plan developed by the primary nurse. She has
to contact primary nurse regarding change in the
care plan.
Advantages;
-Increases satisfaction of both nurses and patients.
-High quality care.

28. Disadvantages:
- Timeconsuming.
- High cost.