Nursing with nurse-patient ratio laws

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Hello California nurses ...

After reading a CNA press release on the introduction of a nurse-patient ratio bill in Arizona, I began wondering if this is indeed the future ... how will things change?

If you have a moment, I'd love to hear specifically how ratios have been implemented at your hospital and what the net effect has been on your workday. Is there supplemental staffing to cover lunches/breaks while still maintaining the required ratios? Has there been a reduction in support staff (unit clerks, nursing assistants, escort/transport staff, etc.)?

We in the rest of the country want to hear it .. the good, the bad, and any unforeseen consequences.

[suzanne4, RN]

In order for lunch breaks to be covered, there is supposed to be another nurse that covers for you; and one that does not have a patient assignment, or the ratios will not be in effect. This has been a stickler with the unions and one of the reasons for the last two strikes in the Bay Area recently.

Have seen a decrease in the number of nursing assts, and have heard of that; but not a decrease in unit secretaries or monitor techs on the tele units, if they were in existance before the ratios were just changed.

Transport still has been essentially the same, no change with the recent changes in the ratios this past month.

[suzanne4, RN]

Ratios started here several years ago, so this is nothing new that is being implemented. There were only minor changes on January 1 with the changes to 4 in tele and 5 on med-surg.

When the unit fluctuates between med-surg and tele, then the more than 50% rule is in place in most facilities. That means that the staffing matrix follows what the majority of the patients are in terms of setting the ratios for that shift.

Hope that this helps.