- Golden principle: The rule is defined once, it is re-enforced every month; The administrator does not review all rules every month.
- Structure order: Set definition → define sections → define roles → define shifts (specific to the role or the whole section).
- Shift capacity: Minimum and maximum people, capacity by role and gender, and time, daily, weekly and monthly limits.
- Membership: The employee applies with the specific code of the department and chooses a role; The administrator reviews, corrects and approves.
system Rule defined once, run every month
In the traditional method, the head nurse or the shift manager has to review all the rules from scratch every month: who can have how many night shifts per month, which department needs at least how many people, what are the limitations of each role, and dozens of other details. As the number of people and rules increase, this mental review takes days, and a small change can mess up several parts of the table. Definition of shift rules Axis Puls is designed to end exactly this repetitive cycle.
Here's the story: set structure, parts, roles, shifts and constraints Once are defined in the system. After that, when creating new applications in subsequent months, the system will automatically apply the same rules to the layout process. The collection manager does not need to review all the rules from scratch every month; It is enough to define the structure precisely and control and confirm the output of each month. This means that the traditional process of "text and paper, manual collection, tabulation and multiple modifications" gives way to a structured path: defining rules, logging requests, automated checking, layout, controlling limits, approval, and then change management and reporting.
The important thing is that this principle does not reduce the manager's responsibility, but changes the nature of his work. The manager still sets the rules, reviews the output, and makes the final decision; But it is no longer necessary to perform a large amount of repetitive calculations and manual controls every month. The more precise the initial definition, the more reliable the monthly layouts will be; So taking the time to properly define the structure is an investment for all the months to come.
structure of the collection; From hospital definition to shift definition
The structuring of the collection in Axis Puls proceeds step by step and from whole to component. This order is consciously chosen so that each layer is built on top of the previous layer and the rules of each section can be set accurately and independently. In the following, we will review all four stages with practical details.
🏥 First step: defining the set
A hospital or treatment center is defined in the system. This layer is the general umbrella of all departments and rules and enables the integrated management of different shift staff.
🧩 The second step: defining the sections
Different sections of the collection are created and for each section, rules and conditions specific to the same section can be defined; For example, the rules of an intensive care unit may be different from another unit.
👥 Third step: Defining roles
The required roles of each department are specified; Such as nurses, doctors, guards, services and security. Each department only has the roles it really needs.
🕒 Fourth step: definition of shifts
The desired shifts are defined for each section. A shift can be specific to a role or defined for the entire department; This flexibility makes it possible to accurately cover the real need.
This system is not limited to nurses and can be used for any team that has a shift schedule; From doctors and guards to shift services and administrative staff. Because each part has its own rules, a large complex can manage all of its shift staff in a single system instead of several scattered processes. This integration is the main message of the system for senior managers and in the article Shift Management It is fully explained.
shift capacity; From the minimum number of people to the time limits
Defining a shift without specifying the capacity is like drawing a table without a line. In Axis Puls, various restrictions can be set for each shift: minimum number of people, maximum number of people, Capacity based on the role of, Capacity by gender, different minimums and maximums, time limits, daily limits, weekly limits, monthly limits and other required rules of the collection. This diversity makes the system not only know "this person should have a shift", but also who, in what department, with what role, when, under what conditions and in what capacity can be in a shift.
Consider a concrete example: the night shift of an intensive care unit may require at least three people, at least two of whom are nurses, the night shift ceiling of each person per month is limited, and a certain gender composition is observed. Once these conditions are registered in the system, the layout engine checks all these conditions simultaneously when placing each person. If it is not possible to place a suitable person according to the defined conditions, the system does not violate the law; Rather, it declares that this shift cannot be completed according to the defined conditions so that the manager can make a management decision. This behavior keeps the system output verifiable and reliable.
capacity Don't make the capacity so tight that no combinations can be arranged, nor so open that the restrictions are effectively ineffective. A good starting point: write the minimums from the actual coverage requirement of the section, the ceilings from the existing work rules, and refine the numbers after a period or two of actual layout. Good laws are laws that are both enforceable and controllable.
Together, daily, weekly, and monthly limits form a multi-layered tour: the daily limit prevents momentary burnout, the weekly cap balances the work rhythm, and the monthly cap supports the long-term fairness of shift distribution. When these three layers are combined with role capacity and gender, the system has a complete picture of "who can be where" and the headmaster no longer has to do these calculations manually and mentally.
Employee membership with department code and role approval by manager
The definition of the structure remains incomplete without the regular entry of employees. Axis Puls has a specific path for this stage so that the manager can control the membership of people in the departments and their roles. One for each section Exclusive code is created; Employees enter the code of the desired department in the system and the information of that department is displayed to them. Then they submit a membership request, choose their role, the administrator reviews the request, corrects the role if it is wrong, and finally the request is approved. After approval, the person enters the planning process according to their access level.
- section Give the exclusive code of each department only to the employees of that department.
- Ask employees to carefully select their actual role when signing up.
- The administrator reviews each request separately and corrects the wrong role before approval.
- After confirmation, adjust the access level of each person according to their position.
- At the end of each period, review each department's membership list to ensure that transferees are up to date.
This seemingly simple process has three major benefits. First, it prevents unrelated people from entering the program of each department; Because without the department code, membership is not possible. Second, the role of each person is clear and confirmed from the beginning; So role-based capacities (eg, at least two nurses per shift) are calculated correctly on the data. Thirdly, the manager has a clear picture of the team composition of each department from day one and can manage manpower changes - such as transferring a person between departments - by modifying the membership, not by manually manipulating the table.
error-free implementation; Good structure makes good layout
The relationship between structure and layout is the relationship between map and building: the more accurate the map, the more reliable the building. When the set, departments, roles, shifts, capacities, and memberships are properly defined, the layout engine can handle employee requests - either as Suggested shift And what about the method Desired shift - check it with the same rules and put it in the program. If the structure is defined sloppily, the layout engine will not produce reliable output; So the obsession at this stage is the saving in all the later stages.
To get started, it is recommended to implement a whole section first: structure, roles, shifts, capacities and member membership. Advance an actual layout period with the same section, Leave and Assignment experience and see reports; Then extend the modified template to other sections. This gradual path simplifies the training of the team and quickly reveals errors in the definition of the rules. Details of implementation steps in the article Launch, trial period and price and the overview of the system can be found in the comprehensive guide Shift Management review
❓ Frequently asked questions about shift structure and rules (FAQ)
Define the rules once; Manage every month
Test your portfolio structure in real-world conditions during the two-month trial period.
Start of trial period