1:22 nurse/patient ratio?

Nurses Safety

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Is 1:22 nurse/patient ratio too much at night? With 3 CNA's? At a home for young children (fairly stable and non-ambulatory) with severe/profound developmental delays? What do you think? Is it too much? Thanks in advance for the replies!

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

Sounds like WAY too much to me.

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

They say meds on all pts are at 12a, 2a, 4a, 6a. A few have trachs, all have feeding tubes. 3 CNA's to assist. Very low turnover rate at this facility for some reason. Most have been there for many years. The nurse is responsible for getting 4 pts. dressed in the morning with the CNA's doing the rest. They claim there is even downtime at night.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

I don't know.. I got very good at G tubes at one of my rotations but the most I could ever do in 90 mins was 9 which was the nurses patient load at a sub acute. Maybe if the meds are spaced out but still thats alot at the peds rotation we had with kids with trachs and g tubes was 1:6

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Sounds dangerous. Run!

Specializes in LTC, SNF, PSYCH, MEDSURG, MR/DD.

i had job with 26 mr/dd kids adults, stable, 24 of which had gtubes, one had a trach.

had 3 cnas on at night with me.

i had downtime at night, even with meds at at the same times as you mentioned.

i liked that job.

are you a new nurse?

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Hmmm, I don't know. There are times when I'm the only nurse for about 26-30 children, with only maybe two assistants (they aren't CNA's, exactly). However, none of my children usually have anything severe going on physically; generally just severe behavior issues. It's an awful lot of kids to prepare meds for and give them to, though.

22 kids, some with trachs and a bunch with G tubes... I don't know if I'd enjoy dealing with that or not, but quite honestly with 3 CNA's, it does sound like you have pretty adequate help, especially if they are stable for the most part. I have to say though, again, it does suck to have to give a bunch of meds to all of those kids at 6 am, especially if you have to crush a bunch of meds, for the kids with G tubes.

I don't know that I would run from this job though... to me it really doesn't sound THAT bad.

Specializes in home health, neuro, palliative care.

Can you shadow a nurse for a few night shifts before you make a decision? I would want to see things for myself.

~Mel'

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
i had job with 26 mr/dd kids adults, stable, 24 of which had gtubes, one had a trach.

had 3 cnas on at night with me.

i had downtime at night, even with meds at at the same times as you mentioned.

i liked that job.

are you a new nurse?

Thanks for your replies! I've been a nurse for about 4 years with the majority being peds. I will shadow first. Thats a great idea!

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