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Patient Acuity Score Calculator

Work out patient acuity score instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Patient Acuity Score Calculator

Sums dependency, intervention and monitoring points into an acuity score and maps it to the standard critical care dependency levels with indicative nursing hours.

Formula

Acuity to dependency

Total = ADL + intervention + monitoring points; levels 0 to 3 correspond to standard ward, enhanced ward, high dependency and critical care

Worked example

With the default values below, Patient Acuity Score Calculator returns Acuity score of 9. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Activities of daily living dependency pointsaccepts 0–8
3
Clinical intervention pointsaccepts 0–10
4
Monitoring and observation pointsaccepts 0–6
2

Results

Acuity score
9
Dependency level
Level 1 — enhanced ward care
Indicative nursing hours per day
6.0 h
Maximum possible score
24

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Acuity to dependency
  3. 3Acuity score= 9
  4. 4Dependency level= Level 1 — enhanced ward care
  5. 5Indicative nursing hours per day= 6.0 h
  6. 6Maximum possible score= 24

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Educational estimate only. Not a substitute for professional clinical judgement, and must not be used to make treatment or dosing decisions.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Educational estimate only. Not a substitute for professional clinical judgement, and must not be used to make treatment or dosing decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the levels standardised?

The level 0 to 3 framework is widely used, though the points that map onto it are set locally.

Why link acuity to hours?

Nursing hours per patient day is the currency used to convert acuity into a staffing establishment.

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Patient Acuity Score Calculator | Calcrivo