[scarlet]

The nurse : patient ratio may be more in Texas. I have never lived in any other state but Texas, therefore I only know what I am told & read here on these forums. If, however the Nurse : patient ratio is that much more here in Texas than in Cali. (which is what seems to be the issue of debate here), I must conclude that we have some amazing nurses here in Texas. To be able to care for more patients that other states are mandated by law to care for. Way To Go Texas Nurses & Nurse Aids!!!

BTW: My Co Workers & I are safe & awesome!

Proud Texas Nurse

[TheCommuter]

Originally Posted by Ironclad

I'm glad you like it over there. My point was that the ratios in Texas are not safe and nurses could be paid better.

Originally Posted by scarlet

The nurse : patient ratio may be more in Texas.

California is the only state in the union that has mandated nurse-patient ratios for acute care facilities. No other state has legally mandated ratios.

In other words, the remaining 49 states do not have any legally mandated ratios whatsoever. However, a small handful of people absolutely love to single out Texas as the lone state with the supposedly "unsafe ratios," as if we're the only place that lacks ratios. It is time for these same people to investigate the staffing patterns in some of the other states.

Again, I find it highly curious that a few individuals feel obligated enough to visit this particular state forum to make mostly negative comments. After all, we generally don't visit their state forums for bashing.

[BellaCerraRN]

Originally Posted by Ironclad

I'm glad you like it over there. My point was that the ratios in Texas are not safe and nurses could be paid better.

That is a rediculous blanket statement to make about a state. Especially one as large as Texas.

It is a RARE occasion that a nurse in my hospital has more than 6 patients on the regular floors. Over 6 pts and they are busting tail to get coverage and directors, managers and house supervisors are doing bedside nursing. The aides in our hospital are top notch and that makes them worth their weight in gold when thinking about N:P ratios. And I'm making a damn good living.

I'll also guarantee that just because Cali has a law in place that it's not always being enforced. It may have made things better, but Cali is not Utopia for nurses.

[Ironclad]

Like you said, TX is big. If you have 1:6 ratio in your hospital it does not mean it works that way everywhere in Texas. But even if you have 1:6, that's 20 percent more work compare to other hospitals with 1:5 ratios. If you read other threads on this forum, you will see that in some TX hospitals ratios are as high as 1:8, 1:9. For 20 bucks per hr? No, thnx.

I've never heard about ratios higher then 1:5 in CA hospitals. On Telemetry units the ratios are 1:4.

If you think that working conditions for TX nurses are safe and pay rate is fair, good for you. That will keep your employer happy too. That's exactly what they need, cheap workforce that make more work for less money.

[TheCommuter]

Originally Posted by Ironclad

I've never heard about ratios higher then 1:5 in CA hospitals.

This is because California has legally mandated nurse-patient ratios for acute care hospitals. The other 49 states do not have ratios.

You've made your point, albeit repetitively. We don't visit the CA forums to speak negatively of Modesto, even though there's plenty of negative things to say about Modesto. So, I'm still curious as to why you make repetitive posts regarding working in Texas?

I smell a dead horse being beaten.

[Ironclad]

Some people wrote about working conditions and the pay rate in TX, I wrote about working conditions and pay rate in California. In this respect TX seems to be significantly worse then California. In fact I have TX RN license, and I wish working conditions in that state would be better. I did not write anything bad about TX itself. If you can't see the difference, I can't help it. By the way, we are sharing opinions and experiences here, aren't we? (See the name of the Thread above).

[RainDreamer]

There's nothing wrong with coming in and stating your opinion/experience relating to the question the OP is asking. But when you come into another state forum and repeatedly go on about the nurse-to-patient ratio in TX being bad and how working in CA is better, in your opinion ..... then prepare for people to take some offense from it.

[Kyrshamarks]

Originally Posted by Ironclad

For 20 bucks per hr? No, thnx.

I've never heard about ratios higher then 1:5 in CA hospitals. On Telemetry units the ratios are 1:4.

If you think that working conditions for TX nurses are safe and pay rate is fair, good for you. That will keep your employer happy too. That's exactly what they need, cheap workforce that make more work for less money.

For $20 an hour...I will not even get out of bed for that little. I sure as heck make alot more than 20 an hour in fact I make in the upper 50's an hour without diffs being added in.

[Ironclad]

Originally Posted by Kyrshamarks

For $20 an hour...I will not even get out of bed for that little. I sure as heck make alot more than 20 an hour in fact I make in the upper 50's an hour without diffs being added in.

Happy for you. Other posters on this forum are not so optimistic.

Originally Posted by RainDreamer

There's nothing wrong with coming in and stating your opinion/experience relating to the question the OP is asking. But when you come into another state forum and repeatedly go on about the nurse-to-patient ratio in TX being bad and how working in CA is better, in your opinion ..... then prepare for people to take some offense from it.

I made my point. You think 1:8 for 20 bucks/hr is cool? Great. What else is good about working in Texas?

[RainDreamer]

Originally Posted by Ironclad

Happy for you. Other posters on this forum are not so optimistic. I made my point. You think 1:8 for 20 bucks/hr is cool? Great. What else is good about working in Texas?

Nowhere did I say that "1:8 for 20 bucks/hr is cool". And that's a huge generalization to say that everywhere in TX the ratio is 1:8 and the pay is $20/hr. It's a big state