Abstract for: Strategic implications of workplace policies on nursing capacity planning

Human resource requirements planning for nursing capacity has traditionally focused on expected utilization or demand and largely ignored the complex workplace policies. The approach taken in this research emphasizes the interaction of policies affecting compensation, work intensity, task satisfaction and career progression on hiring and retention – the flows that determine the stock of nurses. Based on research conducted with Singapore Ministry of Health, we describe how policy changes influence employment levels at care venues over a strategic time horizon. To answer three research questions posed by experienced planners and managers, we employ a System Dynamics model to test and explain the implications of alternative policy choices.