RN PocketPalRN PocketPal

A charge nurse assignment board that respects your time.

Build fair, defensible assignments faster. Acuity-weighted, ratio-aware, break-coverage planned in advance — all stored locally on your iPhone.

Charge isn’t hard because the math is hard. It’s hard because the math changes every two hours. Admits, transfers, codes, calls-outs, an acuity bump on bed 4, a nurse who needs to go to lunch in fifteen minutes — and the paper grid you started the shift with is already obsolete.

RN PocketPal’s assignment board is built for the way assignments actually evolve: fast edits, visible trade-offs, and a clean handoff at change-of-shift.

What RN PocketPal does

  • Drag-and-drop assignment grid with rooms, nurses, and acuity scores. Move a patient, see the impact on the receiving nurse’s load instantly.
  • Acuity-aware load balance: visible ratios, configurable per unit (e.g. 1:2 ICU, 1:5 tele).
  • Break planning: queue 30-minute coverage windows in advance. The board flags conflicts.
  • Handoff view: hand the next charge nurse the board with pending admits, codes, isolations, staffing notes, and current break status.
  • Local-only by default. Patient identifiers stay on your iPhone. No cloud sync without an explicit opt-in.

Who it’s for

Built for charge nurses on telemetry, step-down, ICU, ED, and med-surg units. Also useful for relief charge / shift coordinators who need a fast, defensible record of how assignments were made — without anything PHI-bearing leaving the phone.

Educational reference only. Not a medical device. Verify with clinical judgment, facility policy, and primary sources. Read the full disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

How does acuity scoring work?
You assign a 1–5 acuity score per patient based on your unit’s convention. The board surfaces total acuity per nurse so you can balance loads visually. The scoring framework is yours — RN PocketPal does not impose a specific acuity tool.
Can I share the assignment board with the team?
You can export a redacted view as a PDF for unit huddles, with patient identifiers replaced by room numbers only. Real-time team sync across devices is on the roadmap and will require an explicit opt-in plus a HIPAA BAA.
What about breaks and meal coverage?
Break planning is built in. Queue 30-minute coverage windows in advance, see conflicts, and reassign coverage as admits come in.
Is this for hospital-wide staffing or just a single unit?
Single unit. RN PocketPal is a bedside / charge tool, not a hospital-wide staffing system. We don’t replace Kronos or Symplr.
How does this protect PHI?
The assignment board lives on your iPhone in encrypted local storage. No PHI is transmitted to RN PocketPal servers. If a future cloud-sync feature ships, it will be opt-in only and require a BAA in place.

Download RN PocketPal

Want early-access updates?

RN PocketPal is live on the App Store and Google Play. Join the list for beta builds and upcoming tools.

Reviewed by RN PocketPal Clinical Team, RN. Last reviewed .