Which description best defines skill mix in a nursing team?

Which description best defines skill mix in a nursing team?

• A. The educational level of the nurse manager.
• B. The percentage of hours worked by different types of nursing staff (e.g., RNs, LPNs, CNAs).
• C. The patient satisfaction score for staffing.
• D. The overall nurse-to-patient ratio.

Answer: (B)

Skill mix refers to who is providing care and how much time each type of staff contributes. It focuses on the composition of the nursing workforce and the distribution of hours among different roles—such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and CNAs—so that patient care needs are met with the right mix of skills. This description directly captures how staffing resources are allocated across categories of workers, which influences care quality, efficiency, and safety. Other descriptions don’t fit this concept: the educational level of the nurse manager relates to leadership qualifications rather than frontline staffing composition; patient satisfaction scores for staffing reflect perceptions and outcomes rather than the actual mix of skills; and the overall nurse-to-patient ratio indicates how many patients each nurse handles, but not the mix of different skill levels or roles.

Skill mix refers to who is providing care and how much time each type of staff contributes. It focuses on the composition of the nursing workforce and the distribution of hours among different roles—such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and CNAs—so that patient care needs are met with the right mix of skills. This description directly captures how staffing resources are allocated across categories of workers, which influences care quality, efficiency, and safety.

Other descriptions don’t fit this concept: the educational level of the nurse manager relates to leadership qualifications rather than frontline staffing composition; patient satisfaction scores for staffing reflect perceptions and outcomes rather than the actual mix of skills; and the overall nurse-to-patient ratio indicates how many patients each nurse handles, but not the mix of different skill levels or roles.