by icu.nurse

I work in a small ICU (4-6 bed unit). When we are down to one patient, management staffs with only one ICU nurse, who is also responsible for watching the telemetry monitored patients on the med/surg. floor. I am interested in knowing how other units staff.

Where I work (8 bed unit plus up to 8 tele pt monitors)we always have 2 RN's on even if we have only one pt and no tele. It may get boring ( I work noghts) but safety is the primary issue here. If the one pt goes bad and you can't leave the room the other RN can help out, listen for tele alarms, answer phone etc.If they only staffed 1 RN I would simply refuse on the basis of unsafe assignment.

icu.nurse, we staff the same way you do. We have a six bed unit, with 6 telemetry units to watch. As long as the one patient is stable when they do staffing, there is one RN. If unstable, then 2.

I work in a 16 be ICU/CCU and our nurse /patient ratio is 1/2-1/3 depending on the acuity

I work in an 8 bed unit, 8 teles, at least 2 nurses at all times, even when 0 census and 0 teles! ICU nurses go to all code blues in the hospital and now to code reds in the ER, so need the other person to take care of the patient, someone may code or go bad at any minute. If no patient in the ICU (can't remember that for years, tho!!!!) we go the the floors and help with patient care.

I work in a 10 bed ICU/CCU if one patient were left, it is hospital policy to be left with 3 RNs at all times in case of code blues in the hospital or in our own ward, our other staff are deployed to work in other areas.

I work in a nine beded ICU here in Ireland and our nurse patient ratio is ONE TO ONE!