considering rehab - is 8:1 with a CNA good?

nurws · Aug 19, 2006

We are a free standing rehab unit, 20 beds. We have 2 nurses, and 2 CNAs, for day shift. Of course on days you get the privledge of all the other staff members breathing down your neck, all demanding of your time, each with their own personal important agenda. We have PT,OT,ST, and Aquatics. Usually we have pt. up and dressed and eating by 7AM, and thereapies start before they even leave the dining room table. We also have no unit secretary, and also transfer telephone calls to other depatments, (there own lines would cost to much). We are seeing much sicker, and more varied DX/patients. We have currently 2 pysch pt with CVAs, 2 MVAs with multi trauma, 4 hips, 2 knees, 2 compound fx ankles, 1 cervicle fx, 1 back surgery, 1 brain tumor with CVA during surgery, 5 others in various stages of deconditoning, including detox. Not to mention AB TX/IV, PEG Feed, and all the other stuff that goes along with "the privledge". We have bed alarms on probably half of the pts, and No Rails policy, No restraints. They say we are "Fat staffed", and have nothing to complain about. We also get paid almost $3 less and hour than the acute floor at the hospital. Somedays feel more like a mental institution than a rehab! Good Luck to All. We are there for our patients, and sometime giving all isn't enough. RN WA State:bugeyes:

thegreenmile · Jun 8, 2007

Rehab? You can have it! I went into it 6yrs ago with 1:6 ratio, it became 1:8 and now 1:11. I had 2 herniated cervical discs and now have 3 herniated C-discs, 3 L-discs, OA & DJD. It was a dumping ground for anyone the insurance co. wouldn't authorize anymore acute days for, many were nursing home level, lots of skilled needs and staffing and safety were always an issue. I've since gone back to Mental Health and should have done it years ago when I still has a viable spine!

BAckPane · Jun 16, 2007

i work in a rehab unit and it is in our policy that there should be two licensed people always.. even if it goes down to one patient. i dont know if it applies to all though. in our unit, i have an lpn and a cna with 8 patients. the cna stays with 5 patients but off the floor with 4 and below.

consider these if u only have the cna with 8 patients:

u come in the morning, you and ur cna have to prepare your patients for therapy-- baths then put on their therapy clothes, food trays which you have to set up for strokes especially those who have hemiparesis, vitals signs which u need before you give ur medicines and by the way, you have to pull out your medicines also (coz u don't have any lpn). how about the nursing station? doctor's come and make their little rounds, and oh, the telephone is ringing-- constantly.. how about the patient who needs to go to the bathroom-- he cant walk so you have to put him on the wheelchair then to the toilet then aftercare then back to the wheelchair. how about your toileting q2hours while awake? how about those awaiting doctor's orders at the desk? how about your wound dressings? and mr x is going home today and by the way, 2 admissions are coming before 12 noon.

you may think i'm exaggerating but these are happening in our unit. then you would imagine your situation with only the cna at ur side. you better think twice first.

Becca2003 · Jun 16, 2007

Hey i have been a CNA in a Rehab facility for 2 years now and i love it the pt to CNA ratio is 8:1. Nurses have 16:1 and it is good at least for boise other facilities that i have worked in it is 16:1 for CNAs and 32 per nurse