A missing consideration: the psychiatric patient classification for scheduling-staffing systems.

The psychiatric nursing department at a university teaching hospital identified the need to develop a management tool to systematically and objectively determine resource requirements (staffing) for unique psychiatric patient populations. A classification methodology was needed for budget development, trending, productivity monitoring, and potentially developing a rich data base for nursing research. A study of existing classification systems found them to be limited for use in psychiatric settings. The psychiatric nursing department designed and implemented a patient classification tool based on biopsychosocial needs manifested by psychiatric patients in acute care settings.