RN pat ratio and how many other helpers??

What you really want to know is what is the standard in your area. If a nurse's expectations are to have no more than 4 patients because that is what area hospitals are doing, then having 5, even with extra ancillary help, will seem like an imposition to some nurses. You will not meet their expectations.

Weekend night med-surg unit.


Nurse/patient ratio is usually 5.1, rarely 4:1. Usually at least one admission during the night (I have only had 7 pts one night in my entire 2 years). Charge nurse also takes a full pt load.

We don't have techs or CNAs, unfortunatly. We do have resp therapists and Lab (to draw blood). We start our own IVs, and do all pt care ourselves.

Nights at one of the Top Ten in last week's US News & World Report rankings, acute medicine
No IV team
No admission/discharge RNs (boy, would that be nice!)
Generally can count on a new admit per RN per shift
No techs/CAs/aides
Unit secretary frequently a call-in (maybe 2 nights a week)
Rarely replacements for secretaries/RNs who call in
Assessments are once per shift, rounding documented at least Q2H
Assignment is by acuity, but isolation precautions are not factored in
We're supposed to have 5:1, that seems to be rare, usually 6:1, certainly by morning. I've never seen 7:1, but I'm new The ratios are not what I was told by the recruiter...