What it means
In nursing management, acuity describes the severity of a client's condition and the amount of care needed. Units use acuity to plan staffing and make assignments, giving nurses with high-acuity clients fewer clients. Visual acuity, a separate meaning, is measured with an eye chart such as the Snellen chart (20/20 is normal).
For the nurse
When making assignments, balance acuity across staff. A client's acuity can change quickly, so assignments may need to change during a shift.
At a glance
| Spanish | agudeza (visual); gravedad (of illness) |
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Related terms
triage
Sorting clients by how urgently they need care, to decide who is seen first.
assign
To give a staff member the care of a client, or tasks that are already part of that person's usual job and allowed by their license.
prioritize
To decide which client, problem or task comes first, second and so on.