Refining a patient-acuity system over four years.

Four years ago St. Joseph Hospital, Albuquerque, developed a patient acuity system to be used in staffing and budgeting for the hospital's nursing service. Since then the service has continuously maintained and refined the system; and nursing management thinks the system has raised staff morale, clarified budgeting and saved money within the service, and helped maintain consistently high-quality patient care.