Nurse scheduling software built around units, skill mix,and the biology of night shifts.
Most nurse scheduling tools stop at coverage: every shift filled, every ratio met. That is the floor. CAIER Schedule / RN also scores how the published roster treats the people working it — night clustering, rotation direction, recovery time, and whether the circadian burden is shared or absorbed by the same few nurses.
What nurse scheduling software has to get right
Inpatient staffing is not one schedule — it's a set of units with different ratios, competencies, and shift patterns, sharing a float pool and a finite group of people.
Each unit carries its own ratios, shift lengths, and coverage minimums. Rules are configured per unit instead of forced into one hospital-wide template.
Charge, preceptor, ICU-trained, and specialty competencies are treated as requirements a shift must satisfy, not notes on a spreadsheet.
Float and per-diem staff are matched to the units they're credentialed for, so the coverage gap and the qualified pool are solved together.
Night density, rotation direction, and recovery time are scored with CAI™ so two compliant rosters can be compared and the better one published.
From unit rules to a published roster
- 01Model the unit
Define shift types, coverage minimums, required competencies, and the rules your unit actually enforces.
- 02Collect requests
Nurses submit PTO, preferences, and self-scheduling picks in one place with a clear cutoff.
- 03Generate and compare
Produce roster candidates that satisfy the hard rules, then compare them on fairness and circadian cost before choosing.
- 04Publish and adapt
Publish to calendars, then handle swaps, call-offs, and float placement without rebuilding the whole month.
Where CAI™ fits into nursing schedules
The Circadian Alignment Index (CAI™) reads a published schedule and scores how well its temporal structure fits human circadian rhythm. It is a schedule-design metric — not a medical device and not a wearable. CAIER is currently validating CAI in emergency medicine before extending it across other 24/7 settings, including inpatient nursing.
- Compare two rosters that both meet ratio requirements
- See whether nights are clustered or scattered across a block
- Check that recovery time after a night run is real, not nominal
- Show staff how the circadian burden was distributed
Common questions
- Does CAIER Schedule / RN replace our staffing system?
- It doesn't have to. Scheduling and scoring can run on top of the rosters you already build, so you can start by evaluating what you publish today.
- Can each unit keep its own rules?
- Yes. Shift types, coverage minimums, and required competencies are configured per unit rather than one hospital-wide pattern.
- How do float pool nurses get placed?
- Float and per-diem staff are matched against the units and competencies they are credentialed for, so coverage gaps are filled with qualified people.
- Is CAIER Schedule / RN available today?
- The RN product is available on request. Tell us about your units below and we'll set up a walkthrough.
Tell us about your units
Share your unit mix, shift patterns, and what breaks today. We'll follow up with a walkthrough of CAIER Schedule / RN.