Final answer:
The nurse manager's concern is with staffing to ensure an appropriate number of RNs, LPN/LVNs, and UAPs based on patient acuity and census. This is crucial for patient care, particularly in high-acuity environments like ICUs, where the nurse staffing must match the intensity of care required.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse manager's concern in the scenario provided revolves around staffing. It's about ensuring there's an appropriate mix and number of staff members, including RNs, LPN/LVNs, and UAPs, based on the patient population's acuity and the total number of patients (census). The goal is to achieve a level of care that meets patient needs adequately and maintains the fluid operation of the unit.
Understanding labor market dynamics, such as in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area, where demand and supply determine the equilibrium of nurse staffing, helps nurse managers to forecast staffing requirements accurately. It's worth noting that, given the direct patient care duties, particularly in high-acuity environments like the ICU or dialysis units, staffing levels must reflect the intensity of the care required, with enough nurses to ensure safe, efficient, and effective patient care. In such environments, RNs often provide direct supervision while LPNs and UAPs perform tasks within their scope of practice.