staffing ratio

[JManinga]

What is your RN to patient ratio for cardiac stepdown / progressive care type departments caring for pre/post cabg, pre/post PTCA/Stent (include pulling sheaths), AMI and general cardiac disease type patients. Do you have concrete data which ties your current staffing ratio to your quality indicators? Thanks

Jennifer Maninga BSN, RN

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

Where I work it is 2:1, I left a position when the management was pushing 4:1 it just isn't safe. I don't care what it looks like on paper when you have patient is distress you need to be there not tied up in another room.

[askater11]

I work this type of unit. It's a cardiac step-down. We get pre/post angioplasties.

We're approximately a 34 bed unit.

4 years ago when we were "full" on afternoons ....most nurses only had 3 patients each (one or two R.N.'s had 4 patients each) and 3 aides. And 2 secretaries.

Now on afternoons....we are lucky to have two aides....most nurses get 4-5 patients each. We have 2 secretaries until 7 P.M., sometimes only 1 secretary all shift.

It's a fast paced unit. Very understaffed. And I'm currently looking for a new job. If I don't find a new job in a month. I'm just quitting....the nurse patient ration is sooooooo unsafe.

[Dazedgiggle]

I work in a cardiacsurgical stepdown unit, post valves, CABG, etc.....on day shift we have 2-3 patients, evenings gets 3-4 (on rare occasion 5) and nights gets 4-5 patients (rarely 6). On the rare occasion a nurse gets the upper end of patient load, the clinical leader is VERY good about taking acuity into account. Sometimes the load may be heavy, but I'm very proud of the fact that when a nurse on my unit isn't as busy as the others, they always offer their help to the nurses that need it! Oh! And no secretary on evenings currently.......I miss her more than anything!!

[RNConnieF]

I'm in a PCU it's 3-4:1 days, 5-6:1 evenings and anything goes on nights.