I work for a Texas post total knee and joint surgical unit. 6years ago the nurse to patient ratio was 1:4 on nights(no cna, no secretary). 1:4 on days with a nurse aid. However, one year ago a new CNO came on board and now it is 1:6 on nights(no cna-no secretary) and 1:6 with an aid on days. The unit has 18 beds, but we're rarely at 18. Mostly its 12 patients and 2 nurses at night.
What is the nurse to patient ratio for any post surgical orthopaedic nurses out there? Also are there any Texas laws that could back us up cause that nursing committee thing is a joke(all they talk about is what we can do to improve customer satisfaction, and when i(cause nobody else speaks up) tell them the nurse to patient ratio is the major problem they tell me theres nothing they can do right now, there in the process of hiring(they've been saying that for a year).
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
We have 4-5 days usually have an aide, sometimes nights don't secretary both shifts. There is some flexibility in staffing. Weekdays chose to have 7 nurses with 2 aides (if we are full @ 31) where as weekends would rather have 8 nurses and one aide. We have a lot of discharges and admissions Sat, Mon, and Thur for some reason .
I work in a hospital that's strictly ortho patients in the whole hospital except ed. on days and night you can get up to 7 patients with 1 tech and 1 huc except on sundays huc until 1pm .
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
we have 4-5:1 1-2 aides and sec. night many 5:1 with one aide and a sec. Charge nurse on days usually has not pts, nights may have up to 3. Off service pt that are higher acuity are the hardest.
1:4-5 with 3 aides on days, 1:5-6 with 2 aides on nights. But when they pull a nurse from us to cover ER overflow during high census, day and night end up with 1:6.
SWFL: 5:1 days (8:1 for aides), 6:1 nights (11:1 for aides), charge typically does NOT have an assignment, but days is starting to have 1 patient and nights may have a full assignment, unit clerk from 7a-11p; often 10-15 postops M-F; IMO, ortho is staffed better because it's a $$$ maker for the facilities (and the orthopedic surgeons usually do NOT stand for lackluster staffing)
mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN
3,322 Posts
We have 4-5 days usually have an aide, sometimes nights don't secretary both shifts. There is some flexibility in staffing. Weekdays chose to have 7 nurses with 2 aides (if we are full @ 31) where as weekends would rather have 8 nurses and one aide. We have a lot of discharges and admissions Sat, Mon, and Thur for some reason .