[SkateBetty]

Is understaffing an American thing, or do nurses from other countries struggle with the same thing?

[pickledpepperRN]

Seems to be international.
The first ratios were negotiated into a contract in Victoria Australia.

International Council of Nurses;
http://www.icn.ch/sewnews.htm#2


Nurse: Patient Ratios
http://www.icn.ch/matters_rnptratio.htm

Ghana:
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-5247.html

[azhiker96]

Originally Posted by spacenurse

Seems to be international.
The first ratios were negotiated into a contract in Victoria Australia.

International Council of Nurses;
http://www.icn.ch/sewnews.htm#2


Nurse: Patient Ratios
http://www.icn.ch/matters_rnptratio.htm

Ghana:
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-5247.html

Thanks for the references but I think they are not talking the same thing in Ghana as we are in the US.

The ratio of nurses to patients in Ghana (one to 3,730 in 1965), however, improved to one to per 1,670 by 1989.

It would take more than your shift just to take report on that many patients!

[pickledpepperRN]

Originally Posted by azhiker96

Thanks for the references but I think they are not talking the same thing in Ghana as we are in the US.



It would take more than your shift just to take report on that many patients!

Maybe it is per capita?

[azhiker96]

Yes, I'm sure that's it. The doctor ratios they report must be per capita also. The link for nursing ratios is great though. It's ridiculous that states allow healthcare workers to work longer hours than longhaul truckers!

We've got to educate the public although they will want it all. They will be happy with nurse/patient ratios for safety until they are denied a bed due to short staffing. Then they will want the nurses to carry larger loads and still do everything perfectly.