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Solving a nurse scheduling problem with knapsacks, networks and tabu search

Author

Listed:
  • K A Dowsland

    (Swansea University)

  • J M Thompson

    (Cardiff University)

Abstract

This paper illustrates how a modern heuristic and two classical integer programming models have been combined to provide a solution to a nurse rostering problem at a major UK hospital. Neither a heuristic nor an exact approach based on a standard IP package was able to meet all the practical requirements. This was overcome by using a variant of tabu search as the core method, but applying knapsack and network flow models in pre- and post-processing phases. The result is a successful software tool that frees senior nursing staff from a time consuming administrative task.

Suggested Citation

  • K A Dowsland & J M Thompson, 2000. "Solving a nurse scheduling problem with knapsacks, networks and tabu search," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(7), pages 825-833, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:51:y:2000:i:7:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2600970
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2600970
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5l6uh8ogmqildh09h56484hg0 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Valouxis, Christos & Gogos, Christos & Goulas, George & Alefragis, Panayiotis & Housos, Efthymios, 2012. "A systematic two phase approach for the nurse rostering problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 219(2), pages 425-433.
    3. Ingels, Jonas & Maenhout, Broos, 2019. "Optimised buffer allocation to construct stable personnel shift rosters," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 102-117.
    4. Rahimian, Erfan & Akartunalı, Kerem & Levine, John, 2017. "A hybrid Integer Programming and Variable Neighbourhood Search algorithm to solve Nurse Rostering Problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 258(2), pages 411-423.
    5. Sylvain Barde, 2011. "Ignorance is bliss: rationality, information and equilibrium," Sciences Po publications 2011-04, Sciences Po.
    6. Jingpeng Li & Uwe Aickelin & Edmund K. Burke, 2009. "A Component-Based Heuristic Search Method with Evolutionary Eliminations for Hospital Personnel Scheduling," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 21(3), pages 468-479, August.
    7. Ernst, A. T. & Jiang, H. & Krishnamoorthy, M. & Sier, D., 2004. "Staff scheduling and rostering: A review of applications, methods and models," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(1), pages 3-27, February.
    8. Farasat, Alireza & Nikolaev, Alexander G., 2016. "Signed social structure optimization for shift assignment in the nurse scheduling problem," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 3-13.
    9. Harper, P. R. & Shahani, A. K. & Gallagher, J. E. & Bowie, C., 2005. "Planning health services with explicit geographical considerations: a stochastic location-allocation approach," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 141-152, April.
    10. D. Parr & J. Thompson, 2007. "Solving the multi-objective nurse scheduling problem with a weighted cost function," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 279-288, November.
    11. Topaloglu, Seyda, 2009. "A shift scheduling model for employees with different seniority levels and an application in healthcare," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 198(3), pages 943-957, November.

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