resident/staff ratios

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I was just wondering what everyones RN, LPN, CNA to resident ratios are. The facility that I just resigned from sometimes had one LPN or RN on a 46 bed unit, with never more than 4 CNAs and a lot of times, only 3. This LPN is responsible for all medications, treatments, and documentation for this unit, as well as being "in charge". I don't think that's in any way a safe situation, so I resigned. I guess it's pretty common practice at this facility to do that to and LPN or RN. They have not done it to me yet, but I'm not going to give them the opportunity to do it either. Am I just being a baby or does this sound rediculous to anyone else?:no:

Specializes in med-surg 5 years geriatrics 12 years.

I think there are fed regs that mandate bare minimum coverage, but I could be wrong. As far as states go, a few have laws about ratios ; for the most part most states have recommendations for staffing which most often are completely ignored.

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Specializes in LTC, Nursing Management, WCC.
Did you work days? Seems like too many people on a day shift but doable for nights or maybe evenings depending on the kinds of residents.

LTC won't be getting any easier any time soon. People are getting older and sicker and there is less and less money from the government.

You think that staff ratio is adequate? Then I should stop complaining at work. North and South end of my unit is about 52. 2 Nurses and 6 Aides (provied none called in) plus a unit clerk. 5 Aides is hard and 4 is impossible. I guess i must be fortunate.

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Specializes in infection control, peds, home infusion.

i can only speak for days:

1c, vent unit- census of 37. usually 6 cna's, three rn's and onle lpn.

1b, dementia unit- census of 35. four cna's, one or two lpn's.

2a, 3a, 3b, 3c- census usually hovers around 35-37, true ltc patients, four cna's per unit with usually two lpn's.

2b- subacute unit- lots of picc's, cvc's, some trachs-usually five cna's with two to three lpn's.

of course these numbers are subject to change dependent on staffing.

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I work LTC in SE Texas on first shift. I have one hall with 32 patients and either 2 or 3 CNA's. 2nd shift nurse has 2 CNA's and 3rd shift nurse has 1 CNA. The nurse gives all meds. The good part is: we do have a treatment nurse Monday - Friday. It can be overwhelming if one little thing throws you off (admit, incident, etc).

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I work 3-11p.

32 residents, 1 LPN, 3 CNA's. One RN on a floor of 64 to supervise.

7a-3p

32 residents, 1 LPN, 4 CNA's (sometimes 5 if they have an extra). One RN to supervise. Oh, and a treatment nurse

11p-7a

32 residents, 1 LPN, 2 CNA's and an RN on the floor to supervise.

I never did understand why day shift gets more CNA's. It takes just as much time to get someone up and dressed as it does to get them undressed and in bed. I worked as a CNA for years on both shifts and honestly, I didn't find getting them up and dressed any harder or taking any more time than putting them to bed. Days complains that they need it for feeding and passing trays, toilet etc..but we have to feed and pass trays, also. Its not like the people who need to be fed, by some miracle at dinner time, can now feed themselves. Or a resident that is an assist x2 for transfer and toileting becomes ambulatory at 3pm(off my soap box. A lot of times a resident that is assist x1 for transfer and toileting needs assist x2 in the evening because they are now worn out from the days activities and lets not get started about our "Sundowners" who at times need constant 1:1 to stop them from walking out the door, trying to transfer themselves or start walking about because they forget they can't walk steadily without assistance (..sorry..just a pet peeve of mine)

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Specializes in LTC and Psych.

In the LTC facility I work at it is 1:23

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Please explain sundowner to me,new here and looking for a job and I just wanna know in case I get an evening shift what to expect..I am trully getting scared to work LTC because of staffing:bluecry1:,I even put applications in Dr's offices but I want nursing experience but I am just so scared to work LTC even though I know this is where I really need to be

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

In my facility the units have 25 "residents" each, 2 H.C.A.'s (Health Care Aides) and one registered staff, RN or RPN.

In my case I am the "Charge Nurse" (R.N.) so I would have my own unit plus oversee 6 other units run by R.P.N.'s (Registered Practical Nurse).

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Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

68 Residents 4 LPN's 8 NAR's 2 Rehab aids, 2 Charge RN's 2MDS Codnators and one DON

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Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU, Psych, Med-surg...etc....

Federal regulations do not give numbers for staffing, just state that staffing must be "adequate". What is adequate? Staffing is adequate, as far as the survey goes, when the survey team cannot connect any staffing issues to resident outcomes. Staff often want the surveyors to cite them for poor staffing, but unless an outcome can be tied to the lack of staff, then the surveyors cannot cite. It is up to each state to set the guidelines for staffing ratios. Until the states make mandated staffing ratios, then it is what it is....

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