Specialties Pediatric
Published Mar 10, 2003
NativeButterfly
35 Posts
Hello everyone....I work in a rural hospital with at 14 bed pediatric unit. I was wanting to know what your patient ratio was like. We are trying to defend the fact that we feel extremely unsafe with a 7:1 ratio. There may or may not be ancillary staff to help us with this ratio. We have many many acute RSV and respiratory patients. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Mimi2RN, ASN, RN
1,142 Posts
Our peds unit tries to have a max of 4:1. We have 12 beds, with some rooms doubled, we can take 18, but we don't have the staff for it.
bergren
1,112 Posts
At tertiary medical centers, so pretty sick kids, the max I have had since 1986 is 5, with the norm being 3 or 4 :1. With some cardiac, multi system issues - 2:1. Rarely 1:1 and that is only because there is no room in the unit. I know they sometimes have 5:1 on nights. The last time I had 7:1 was 1978 and I still have nightmares about it. I had 7 kids and 10 lines, evening shift.
cincygirlpnp
22 Posts
I work in organ transplant and on nights usually have 2-4:1. A bad night is 5:1, however I have been pulled to units where there is RSV and the norm ration is 5-8:1 in nights.
IRISHBREAD
41 Posts
we are supposed to be staffed 4:1 but more often than not it will be 5:1. during the winter if we get some really bad rsv's we do a 3:1 or 2:1 ( if people are willing to do overtime.)
gmarie
2 Posts
We have 3-4 on day shift and 3-5 on night shift. Kids are staffed 1:1 or 2:1 when condition warrants. This is a peds Hem/onc unit. I know on our general med units where acuity is usually a little lower they have the same ratios.
cathy949
34 Posts
We have 3-1 on days, and 4-1 on nights for the ward and 1-1 in PICU
KailuaNurse
63 Posts
We are staffed usually 3-4:1. In some cases we will be 5:1 where we also have a CNA just with our assignment.
eb_rn
66 Posts
we usually staff4:1 unless chronic vent kids then its 2:1, winter months staffing can go to 5:1/3:1 if we r in overflow......usually have a tech for vs and bath/linen/diaper help......it is a gen. med/surge floor for infants up to toddlers age max of 5 yrs old.
uk_nurse
433 Posts
My ward is an ortho and trauma and some medical. It's a 23 bedded ward. We have children between ages of 0-16yrs. When we are busy i have had ratio of 8:1. It's very hard work. This is due to staff shortages. When i come on duty the number of patients is divided between the trained staff, some days it's 6: others can be as little as 3:1.