University of Twente Student Theses
Nurse Shift Scheduling Emergency Department St. Olav’s Hospital
Pelleboer, A.J. (2025) Nurse Shift Scheduling Emergency Department St. Olav’s Hospital.
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| Abstract: | Efficient nurse shift scheduling is vital in healthcare, particularly in Emergency Departments (EDs) where demand fluctuates hourly. This thesis addresses the challenge faced by St. Olav’s University Hospital in aligning nurse staffing with variable patient inflows, while dealing with ongoing nurse shortages. We develop a two-stage optimisation framework that combines historical patient data with mixed-integer programming to design demand-aligned schedules. The approach targets the 90th percentile of hourly nursing demand and evaluates various configurations of shift lengths, start times, and contract rules. Key findings show that combining 8- and 12-hour shifts with staggered start times can reduce staffing costs by up to 7.65% and decrease required Full Time Equivalents by 7.6%. Furthermore, strategic weekend staffing and adjusting average contract percentages offer additional improvements. The resulting prototype tool supports data-driven decision-making and demonstrates how flexible scheduling policies can enhance cost-efficiency in high-variability environments. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 31 mathematics |
| Programme: | Industrial Engineering and Management MSc (60029) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106465 |
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