The Measurement of Pediatric Inpatient Nursing Using the Complexity Assessment and Monitoring to Ensure Optimal Outcomes (CAMEO©) Tool

Abstract

PurposePhysiologic measurement of patient acuity has been used to predict patient outcomes, length of stay, and resource utilization. To date, these tools are not sufficiently comprehensive to inform nurse staffing assignments and have limited practical application. The Complexity Assessment and Monitoring to Ensure Optimal Outcomes (CAMEO©) acuity tool was initially developed and validated to quantify patient acuity in terms of complexity of nursing cognitive workload in pediatric intensive care units (ICU). This article describes development and implementation of the Inpatient CAMEO© in the pediatric inpatient setting. Design and methodsUtilizing a modified Delphi technique, an expert panel convened to scale and implement the Inpatient CAMEO© in the pediatric inpatient units through four Delphi rounds. ResultsThe expert panel identified care items unique to the pediatric inpatient setting and assigned a cognitive workload scale of 1–5. To consolidate the tool, the panel identified items to be classified as “Standard of Care” and developed a new baseline score for the Inpatient CAMEO©. Expert panel members served as unit-based ambassadors to foster the expansion and implementation of the new Inpatient CAMEO©. ConclusionsThe Inpatient CAMEO© describes and quantifies acuity beyond the intensive care setting. The implementation and use of the Inpatient CAMEO© was accomplished through unit-based ambassadors and the support of leadership. Practice implicationsQuantifying nursing cognitive workload in both direct and indirect care is important to determining nursing assignments and comprehensive staffing models in the pediatric inpatient setting.