Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) Practice Test

How do you calculate total patient days in a year?

1. Days open per year - Average Daily Census

2. ADC X Number of patients per day

3. ADC X Days open per year

4. ADC / Days worked per RN

The correct answer is: ADC X Days open per year

To calculate total patient days in a year, it is essential to understand what the Average Daily Census (ADC) represents. ADC is the average number of inpatients receiving care during a specific time period, commonly calculated on a daily basis. The correct calculation involves multiplying the ADC by the total number of days the facility is operational throughout the year. This is because the total patient days reflect the cumulative number of patients in the facility over the entire year. By using the formula ADC multiplied by the Days Open per Year, you effectively quantify the total number of inpatient days experienced over that period. In other options, while they address various aspects of patient care metrics, they do not provide the appropriate method for deriving total patient days accurately. Understanding this relationship between ADC and operational days is essential for effective hospital management and resource allocation.