Patient Acuity Calculator
Score your patient across nine categories from 0–3. The total converts to an acuity level from 1 to 4.
Acuity Levels
- 1Level 1 — Low AcuityTotal score 0–6
- 2Level 2 — Moderate AcuityTotal score 7–13
- 3Level 3 — High AcuityTotal score 14–20
- 4Level 4 — Very High AcuityTotal score 21+
How scoring works
- 0Routine / Stable
- 1Moderate
- 2Heavy
- 3Very Heavy / Unstable
Select the highest level that reasonably describes the patient's current nursing workload. Nine categories × 3 points = 27 category points.
Why a 3 counts extra
A 3 is not just "a bit more than a 2." It means that one category alone is already consuming a large share of your shift, and needs at that level tend to collide rather than queue politely. So each 3 adds a few points on top of the category score.
- +2for a 3 in Respiratory, Cardiac, Neurological, or Hemodynamics — these carry risk of deterioration on top of the workload itself.
- +1for a 3 in any other category.
A patient with no 3s is unaffected. With every category at 3 the maximum is 40. The result screen always shows the category score and the adjustment separately, so the number stays explainable.
Look at the Whole Patient
Acuity should not be determined by one diagnosis, medication, or treatment alone.
A stable patient receiving a heparin infusion may have a moderate workload. A patient receiving heparin who also has an unstable rhythm, aggressive IV diuresis, repeated electrolyte replacement, frequent assistance needs, abnormal labs, and repeated reassessments may appropriately score much higher.
No Patient Information
This calculator never asks for a name, room, medical record number, or any other patient detail. Your answers stay in the browser for the current calculation only — nothing is saved or sent anywhere.