Problem: Calculate the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) that would be needed. Show your calculations. Describe your calculations and identify your result. Mary Jane needs to know how many full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses are needed. First, she needs to know the total care hours. In this case, it's 96,360 hours. Then, she needs to know the total hours a full-time nurse works in a year. This is calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked per week by the number of weeks in a year. In this case, 40 hours/week x 52 weeks/year = 2,080 hours/year. Finally, divide the total care hours by the total hours a full-time nurse works in a year to get the number of FTEs. In this case, 96,360 hours / 2,080 hours/FTE = 46.3 FTEs. So, Mary Jane needs approximately 46.3 full-time nurses to cover the total care hours. However, this calculation provides a baseline staffing estimate that doesn't account for patient acuity, which could increase or decrease the number of nurses needed. Patient acuity refers to the care required, which can vary based on the health condition.