A Reading on

Modified Modular Nursing

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirement on NCM 218

Primary Nursing Rotation

Submitted to:

Soraida Basallaje, RN, MN

Clinical Instructor

Submitted by:
Ryan Vincent C. Noguera, St.N
BSN 4G

October 30, 2021

Modular Nursing – Optimizing RN Involvement in Patient Care and Management
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Health Stream (2021). Modular Nursing – Optimizing RN Involvement
in Patient Care and Management. Retrieved 10/30/2021, from
https://www.healthstream.com/resource/blog/2021/04/01/modular-nursing-optimizing-rn-
involvement-in-patient-care-and-management

SUMMARY: Modular nursing began its evolution in the 1950’s and was considered as a
modification of the team nursing model. This model was considered by some
organization this time due to the current situation of the world because primary nursing
care model may not be appropriate for the current pandemic moment.

Team nursing eventually evolved into modular nursing. In this model a patient
care unit is divided into geographic modules with an RN as team leader. The same
team of caregivers is regularly assigned to the modules. The team will include RNs and
will also include LPNs and nursing assistants. Typically, each module will have access
to the medications, supplies, and linens needed within the module. The goal of modular
nursing is to make patient care less fragmented and is most frequently used in inpatient
and outpatient care areas.

The model provides advantages for both nursing staff and patients. Smaller team
results to an effective communication between the team members, patients and
families. The model allows for RNs to be more involved in the planning and coordination
of patient care, which can result in better continuity of care and make transitions of care
more seamless. Continuity of patient care is improved as the team of caregivers grows
more familiar with their patients and their unit. The smaller, more focused patient care
teams can result in higher levels of accountability for individual team members an
important element of team member job satisfaction.

Despite the advantages of this model, there will always be disadvantages.

Modular nursing requires education particularly around the specifics of the model and in
nursing leadership and management skills, can help support nurses in this model. In
short, it requires a high level of nursing leadership. This model will also be difficult to
execute with unreliable and inconsistent team members and lastly it may complicate
staff assignments. Creating a team that has all of the competencies needed for patients
on their module can be a challenge – particularly on units where acuity is high.

REACTION: Modular nursing for me is effective since keeping team small and
attempting to assign personnel to the same team as often as possible should allow the
professional nurse more time for planning and coordinating team members. A small
team requires less communication, allowing members to better use of their time for
direct patient care activities.

And I know that this model will be effective since we already know that team
nursing involves collaboration with the other healthcare providers in which in this model,
we can give a high quality care to our patients since each members of the team can
contribute their own special expertise and skills. And modular nursing is known as an
evolution of team nursing where in this model, some of the disadvantages of team
nursing was already taken action in which it evolves into much better model namely
modified modular nursing.