[Pheobe05]

Hey guys! Just wondering here... I have been a med-surg nurse for almost a year. I love the skills, people and job. But my pt load is about 8-9 patients a night. I feel as if I've aged 5 years this past year. Just wondering if this is the patient load at all hospitals and I'm a big baby. OR- if this is unusual? Let me know what you think. I appreciate your input.

[RNsRWe]

Originally Posted by Pheobe05

Hey guys! Just wondering here... I have been a med-surg nurse for almost a year. I love the skills, people and job. But my pt load is about 8-9 patients a night. I feel as if I've aged 5 years this past year. Just wondering if this is the patient load at all hospitals and I'm a big baby. OR- if this is unusual? Let me know what you think. I appreciate your input.

You're describing ME

On a good night, I only have 7 patients. A bad one is 9. I have taken 10, but said I wouldn't do that again, and meant it.

8-9 is the norm for our unit on nights; I may start with 7 patients (still not the norm) but there's always admissions.

I love my job, but if there'll be a reason I leave, it's the patient load.

[crb613]

Originally Posted by RNsRWe

You're describing ME

On a good night, I only have 7 patients. A bad one is 9. I have taken 10, but said I wouldn't do that again, and meant it.

8-9 is the norm for our unit on nights; I may start with 7 patients (still not the norm) but there's always admissions.

I love my job, but if there'll be a reason I leave, it's the patient load.

And me!

[Pheebz777]

wow! And I thought my load on telemetry is bad! We usually get 6 patients and on bad nights we sometimes get up to 8.

[RNsRWe]

Originally Posted by Pheebz777

wow! And I thought my load on telemetry is bad! We usually get 6 patients and on bad nights we sometimes get up to 8.

nope, that's not a bad load in my world

We have some tely too, and it doesn't affect our patient load per nurse. Our "tely unit" also has 8-9 (and more if they cave) pts per nurse on nights.

[meownsmile]

I think this is pretty normal. Ive had as many as 10-11 on days with an LPN and CNA. But that doesnt help when you have all the assessments, new orders etc.
Night shift ratios can be even worse.

[Cattitude]

When I did m/s on a good night I'd have 6-7. Bad night 10-11.
Thankfully, more good nights then bad.

[madwife2002]

Day shift 4 pts and night shift 5 pts

[Roy Fokker]

I posted one of my typical nights just a few days ago:

I walk onto the floor and we're getting slammed - 5 admits in half hour,
Ofcourse, all during shift change time

Had 7 patients all to myself: One very agitated, combative post bowel resection patient in restraints. A 60 year old with CP, mental retardation, MS, seizures (who should be on the neuro specialty floor but wasn't because neuro was full) who was on tele with a Cardizem and Dilantin drip and weird heart rhythms. An ICU transfer. A post perf'd duodenal ulcer with 5 lines going in and 7 lines/tubes coming out. A post hyst who couldn't stop puking all night. My only "normal" patient was a bilat. prophylactic mastectomy...

... and last but not least, a "direct admit" - LOL all of 80 years old who tends to be "forgetful" at times. Dx: Fatigue and loss of appetite. Hx: Chronic a-fib, osteoarthritis, carotid artery clot repair.

All this on a "surgical" floor

34 beds. 34 patients. 5 nurses. 1 CNA!

Originally Posted by madwife2002

Day shift 4 pts and night shift 5 pts

Which hospital is this? I'm moving there tomorrow!

[meandragonbrett]

11-12 pts on nights is routine here