[HappyJaxRN]

Liver, Kidney, and Pancreas Transplant Unit...checking in....If they are fresh post ops, it's 1:1. If not, then we can have anywhere from 1 to 4 patients. Never more than 4. Usually 3.

[Pekoe-RN]

usually 4:1, but it's a tele floor (where it's ANYONE with a cardiac hx - whether it's psych or resp or post-op, tele is where they end up...), I've had five on my first week off a 7 week preceptorship of being a new grad. And it's so much fun monitoring for those "new" s/e when put on a cardiac med ....
:-)
but I am learning SO MUCH ....and the people I work with ARE THE BEST.

[christvs]

Our team of an RN, LPN & aide take care of 8-10 patients on our med/surg/tele unit.

[Indy]

Telemetry unit (stepdown is a separate unit in my facility, thank god) and usually 1:4, sometimes 1:5. I've found out 1:3 can certainly be a nightmare once in a while. And on this unit, at night the charge nurse has a load that's equal to the other nurses, usually. That's a contrast to days where I saw charge nurses take 1-2 patients as a norm while on the first part of my orientation.

[raynefall]

I work in a post surgical unit, and unfornately, it's not rare to have 9 patients at night.

[jenrninmi]

Neuro/Trauma/Tele floor. I work 7p-730a. 6-8 patients is my norm. Usually 7.

[RN-TO-BE]

I work on a Medical floor and have usually 4 pts. sometimes 5. That sounds pretty good but we are total care...no tech to do VS, I&O's, wts, diaper changes, etc. The nurse does it all...gets pretty rough sometimes with 3 or 4 total care pts. in diapers, need to be turned q2h, etc. Rumor is that nurset. ratio is going to 7:1 beginning sometime this month. If it does and they do not hire techs, I might be looking for another job.

[Spidey's mom]

Med-Surg floor at a small rural hospital - 5:1

We always have 2 RN's, or one RN and an LVN, and a CNA.

Never more than 10 patients. We can't legally take more than that plus we don't really have room for much more than 10.

steph

[dlhommer]

I work on a busy oncology unit we can have 4pts on days and evenings and up to 6 on nights. or less if somone is getting chemo. that's enough for me.

Deb

[travelcrazyRN]

OMG THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE WORSE DAY EVER!!! I congratulate you on getting thru it.

Originally Posted by NYNewGrad

Hey, I know how you feel... Being a new grad is TOUGH! I've had 2 1/2 weeks classroom orientation and now I'm on my 4th week on the floor with only 1-2 more weeks of orientation. Then I'm thrown to the wolves!!

For me, each day is an entirely different world. I'm on a heavy Med-surg unit and our usual ratio is 1:6 which is nice. Yesterday we were short so I had 8 patients! Of my entire crowd, I had 2 trach w/vents (suction often), trach collar (suction VERY often), 1 PEG & 1 NG (crush meds...), Pt DNR/DNI satting in the mid-70's b/c she kept on pulling off her non-rebreather, DNR pt with traction to leg who was found with RR of 5/MINUTE!!! - gave narcan stat to reverse the effects of 5 mg morphine, 2 pts who didnt speak any english so had to run around and find translator each time we had s/t to say, pt with C-diff need to change freq. Gave 2 units blood, 4 k-riders, a million meds. Went into the pt who was desatting's room every 10 - 15 minutes to assess... She left this world an hour before shift change so had to do e/t that a death entails (post mortem, organ bank, charting...)

It was a wild day. I took a 5 minute break the entire day. My preceptor who I was with was great. She gave me my independance most of the day, letting me get a grip on the situation, but at the same time she gave me a hand at the end of the day with last minute meds and charting. I came home entirely exhausted and knocked out, but I also felt accomplished.

I dont especially love doing all the monotonous tasks - suction, meds, hang IVs, but I especially do LOVE that I come home very day and say I LEARNT SO MUCH! I love learning, and I feel so much more confident and knowledgeable each day!!

Thats nursing! We'll get through the newness and soon we'll be veterans... =)