[maythen]

I'd be stark raving terrified to take on 15 or more patients. I'm a new grad (since december) and I work on a med/surg floor. We get everything from telemetry, to GI bleeds, to fresh post ops. My max load has been 7 patients of my own and working with an LVN that had 7 patients. I nearly handed them my walking papers that day. I can't imagine how you're managing. I feel overwhelmed much of the time (my facility as decided to cut costs by not giving night shift any support personnell (now ward clerks, care techs, etc) and by not giving any of us a lunch or a break. (we were informed that it's cheaper to pay the fine than hire a break nurse).
We have to have computerized acuities turned in by midnight but it seems awfully pointless since it doesn't change your staffing level one bit. Between doing total patient care, all the charting, the duplicate charting we have to do on the computer, and still trying to get a handle on the transition from "student" to Rn... it's daunting to say the least.
I'm in California in a rural hospital, so maybe the laws are different. But we've had to send patients to one of the other hospitals when we couldn't staff any higher. 7 or 8 is our max load on med/surg and i think that our ccu doesn't take more than 3. I thought that patient safety was the whole point of staffing ratio laws. Are you in an area that doesn't have them?

[Stitchie]

Originally Posted by debbie17368

I work at a med&surg floor we also have telemetries. I have 15 patients all for me usually I work with another RN who has another 15 patients, I work the night shift (that is from 7 pm to 7 am at my hospital) I only have an LPN working there (too much work for them too) Sometimes I even have patients connected to mechanical ventilators. There are times when the supervisor can not find anybody to cover a shift and the RNs have to work with 30 patients by herself, plus do all the paper work. Has this happened to any of you guyS?Debbie

RUN! Run quickly. And don't look back. OMG, that is horrible and your poor patients, your poor feet, knees, feelings, conscience.

[Tweety]

Basically, what everyone said. Too much!

Our vented patients are no more than 4:1 if there is one, if there are two then it drops to 3:1.

Sounds like a very unsafe situation. Good luck.

[rollingstone]

No, this has never happened to me. 15 patients? No way! I'd leave that situation doublequick.

[barefootlady]

I agree with the other posts, this is unsafe practice. Not even Super Nurse could do justice to 15 patients!!!! Please, look for another job. Get out of there as quickly as you can. Good luck and good hunting.

[minnib]

I love taking care of people but I am probably going to leave nursing or go agency; private duty. I work on a usually nice rehab unit but our pts are sent to us sicker all the time they pull our aide at night if the census is low but a low census doesn't mean a damn sometimes!, We have to do a med pass and assess and take people to the bathroom now or else they go in the bed you have to do a complete bed change and it all snowballs from there. Don't get me wrong I will work right along side the aide to get the job down if need be but administration is making it unsafe for us not to have an aide I don't know what the answer is.. I am an LPN and wanted to go on for my RN but I don't know now. Us nurses just keep complaining and nothing is being done. It comes down to dollars!, and our pts suffer and so do alot of us. They say there are no nurses out there but when the hospital is overstaffed they call us at home and ask if want a personal day!! I know hospital's must have a budget but I really think they are taking advantage of us nurses! I want to get hospital experience and get of that environment, it is a shame though because i do love learning but can't take the stress sometimes!, Thanks all just had to vent!!


Peace to all.......