Nurses focus on the art and science of caregiving, but nurse managers are faced with the economic reality of patient-staffing ratios, budgets, reports, and accounting. Acronyms such as FTEs and ADCs can feel like a foreign language, but thankfully, help is available.
Updated to include details about key legislation that will affect budgeting,
The Nurse Manager's Guide to Budgeting and Finance
, 3rd Edition, provides practical tools, tips, and strategies for running a unit that you weren't taught in nursing school:
Operating and capital budget development and planning for the year
Formulas and calculations for full-time employee hours, variances, and benefit costs
Explanation of financial statements, budgets, and reimbursement documents
The relationship between high reliability organizations (HROs) and finance/budgets
Differences between not-for-profit and for-profit institutions