[findingmywayRN]

Hello,
I am not in ob nursing but am interested in the area and have a few questions. What are the nurse to patient ratios in L&D, ante and postpartum areas? I did a rotation in nursing school where mother and baby were both patients of the postpartum nurse. Is this the norm, or do some nurses just work in the nursery? Do you need a peds background? Thanks!

[webbiedebbie]

AWHONN the professional organization for OB nurses has a model for staffing. If you go to the OB threads, you can find answers from there also.

As far as staffing for nursery, every hospital is different. Some practice Mother/Baby and others staff for nursery separately.

[L&D_RN_OH]

We have nurses that staff our SCN, but the Mom/Baby nurse takes care of healthy babes as part of couplet care. As far as ratios, in MB our nurses carry 3-4 couplets. L&D generally only two pts at a time unless they are stable antepartums, and only one active labor if we're lucky.

[findingmywayRN]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check out that website!

[USA987]

On the 3-11 shift on postpartum we have 3-4 couplets as then norm...on rare occassions it's 5. We also have antes and gyne pts. on occassion. Quite honestly 4 couplets can be overwhelming sometimes if there are breastfeeding issues, etc. (or a fresh post-op gyne) and other days 4 couplets can be a breeze....

[USA987]

Oh, and for your other question...we have LDR nurses and Nursery nurses. You have to specialize in one or the other and we all rotate to postpartum...

[BETSRN]

Couplet care is the ideal, as mother and baby should be kept together. WE might have only 2-3 couplets or more if the L&D part is abusy. We are an LDRP and we just flex whatever way we have to. As far as L&D goes, however, we do 1:1 with a labor patient.