Is Your Nurse Scheduling Software Scalable and Creating Efficiency On Shifts?

February 28, 2022

There are many scheduling software solutions on the market today, at all different price points, including free apps that are very user-friendly. On the surface, free software solutions are seemingly better than using pen and paper or spreadsheets to create nurse schedules. Unfortunately you have processes that work, and room for improvement in other aspects, and without a configurable software solution, you’ll have a hard time finding a free solution that will allow you to easily keep track of everything that goes into creating a reliable nurse schedule. Free, or even low cost solutions will likely be a one-size-fits-all application, and although it may come with useful features, there may be some you won’t need and others you wish it had.

Medical team looking at reports on a laptop computer.

A basic scheduling app might help you create a schedule that is easy to edit, but if you’re looking to create more efficiency in your nursing unit, you need a robust, scalable solution that speaks to common nurse scheduling pain points.

Nurse scheduling comes with unique challenges. To build a proactive nurse schedule that meets target work hours, keeps you under OT thresholds, and increases your ability to provide high quality patient care, you need a configurable reporting system.

With Schedule360, you can utilize customized features created specifically for nurse scheduling.

You may have multiple locations with hundreds of employees, and we can handle that.

Changing your scheduling process may be necessary, but it doesn’t have to overhaul the processes you use that are working. With Schedule360, we work within your current processes to make managing your workforce easier and more efficient from a centralized web-based platform.

Practical Features

  • Scalable-from 10-1000+ employees, we can handle it with ease, and you can start by implementing just one unit or one facility at a time.
  • Continued support well after the guided, proactive training and fully supported data entry and implementation process.
  • Web-based, unlike apps that require constant updates.
  • A growing list of intuitive features created specifically with nurse scheduling in mind that you can add or disable as your workforce evolves.
  • Centralized reporting and scheduling.
  • Configurable to adapt with how you want to see your reports and how you want to schedule your workforce.

Intuitive Features

  • Self-Scheduling

Our rules-based self-scheduling feature saves your schedulers precious time, while also giving your nurses a sense of control over their own schedule. After shifts are released for the upcoming schedule, remaining open shifts are available for self-scheduling by qualified employees. Management defines the rules, and features can be turned on or off at any time.

  • Shift Swapping

Allow nurses to swap shifts with fellow nurses while maintaining shift coverage and credentials, without the need for management to approve. Nurses qualified to cover the shift can shift swap, while those who fall short of credentials won’t have access to sign up for the slot.

  • Schedule Transparency

Our nurse scheduling software provides complete schedule transparency. Schedulers and administrators can view the schedule in ways that make managing schedules across multiple locations a much easier process. Since employees have 24/7 access to their schedules from any mobile device with internet access, it significantly reduces the number of open shifts and calls to the scheduling team with schedule-related questions.

  • Credential Tracking

Utilizing nurse scheduling software makes keeping track of employee licensure and skills easy. Credentials are stored in employee profiles. When creating a schedule, shifts can be broken down by shift type and required credentials, ensuring that only those employees qualified to fulfill the shift are being scheduled.

Skills that require certification are tracked from the expiration date and the system can be set up to alert employees 60 days prior to expiration.

  • Automation

Achieve operational efficiency without draining your resources by automating time-consuming scheduling tasks that lend well to guided automation like:

  • shift swaps and shift reminder alerts
  • Self-scheduling
  • credential tracking alerts

As well as centralized features like how you manage:

  • call-offs
  • time-off requests
  • overtime

Messaging

Communication is critical in all workplaces, but especially in the healthcare field. The right nurse scheduling software program can help improve communication between schedulers and nurses and increase job productivity too. Our message boards clearly communicate schedule changes, approved time off and overtime, or floating schedule alerts.

You can segment messaging for hot shifts and urgent changes that unfold quickly and need to be communicated efficiently. The responsibility of having to fill urgent, hot shifts can be stressful, but our nurse scheduling software can help. Nurse scheduling software makes it easy to communicate critical shift needs to your nursing staff within set parameters of 12, 24, or 48 hours in advance via text or email to all qualified employees, or segment your recipient list to send a message only to staff who are not working already and didn’t request the day off.

The ability to segment messaging based on the unique needs of a nursing unit provides administrators with options that follow what those needs are. Admins can select nursing staff within one unit, department, facility, enterprise, or across multiple campuses.

Experience the Schedule360 Difference

Not all scheduling software solutions are created equal. It’s easy to see why free scheduling apps are enticing. While it may be tempting to opt for the free choice, nurse scheduling software is not the place to try and try again.

One-size-fits-all doesn’t work for healthcare scheduling. You need a nurse scheduling software solution designed to fit your specific scheduling needs. If your scheduling software isn’t meeting your demands or your expectations, it’s time to find a software solution that works for you. Don’t settle for inferior scheduling software. Make the switch to Schedule360 today. We know scheduling. Contact us for a configured demo.