Attention all 50 states: what is your nursing ratio? please post!

Nurses General Nursing

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I am in California where there are slim to none in nursing jobs for new grads. I am highly considering leaving the state but am scared to venture out of California's nice nursing rations. What is the nursing ratio in your state??

Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

ED in NJ-1:5 regardless of acuity, to 1:8....really an insane arrangement.

The only place that sounds worse is Florida....figures, live a long life...care is less than ideal at the end.

God help the patients and the nurses!

M

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.
ED in NJ-1:5 regardless of acuity, to 1:8....really an insane arrangement.

The only place that sounds worse is Florida....figures, live a long life...care is less than ideal at the end.

God help the patients and the nurses!

M

honestly, most of my pt's are not very elderly. i work in a very underserved inner-city area and the retention rate for nurses is not good not only bc of the high nurse-pt ratio (and forget tech-pt ratio, that's like 20-1, if not more) but because the patients are very difficult. the pt populations on PCU/tele are middle-aged hypertensive, obese, diabetic, non-compliant and very, very demanding. many of them abuse drugs and etoh, have uncontrolled BP and NIDDM, end up in CHF, on dialysis or with a CVA. the acuity on my floor is very high.... the elderly pts with dementia and COPD are refreshing, and most of the time sweet as could be.

i forgot FL was a right to work state. boo.

as a side note...

it's not taken this new nurse long to figure out that unless nurses put their foot down, nothing will change in this industry. :banghead: sad that these working conditions and/or the possibility they exist, were never mentioned in school. i was sooo naive !

Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.
honestly, most of my pt's are not very elderly. i work in a very underserved inner-city area and the retention rate for nurses is not good not only bc of the high nurse-pt ratio (and forget tech-pt ratio, that's like 20-1, if not more) but because the patients are very difficult. the pt populations on PCU/tele are middle-aged hypertensive, obese, diabetic, non-compliant and very, very demanding. many of them abuse drugs and etoh, have uncontrolled BP and NIDDM, end up in CHF, on dialysis or with a CVA. the acuity on my floor is very high.... the elderly pts with dementia and COPD are refreshing, and most of the time sweet as could be.

i forgot FL was a right to work state. boo.

In some ways I find that just as disturbing, those with the least....yet, but for the Grace of God....

Culture is a hard thing to overcome, recently had 5 AA male stroke due to non-compliance, by the fifth I was in a tizzy and on a crusade. I truly believe the dangers and certain outcomes are not stressed enough by physicians. I mean in scary words like you will die, or worse, you will live(exist) in a nursing home and be at someone else's whims and timetable. I am pushing for heavy, in your face community education not just of patients but of their loved ones! Love is not McDonald's, it is compliance, assistance and support!

NJ is a right to work state too!

Okay back to homework...

Unable to help myself as usual

M

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Phoenix AZ

Tele floor 4:1 ( can flex up to 5)days, Nights 5:1

ICU 1:1 and 1:2 depends on acuity post hearts normally one to one.

Med/surg 5:1 days 6:1 nights

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

What is a right to work state?

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

Right to Work States: Florida

FLORIDA

Fla. Const. Article 1, 6

6. Right to Work

The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike. (Constitution Amended by General Election, 1944; Revised by General Election November 5, 1968)

TITLE 31. LABOR (Chs. 435-452)

CHAPTER 447. LABOR ORGANIZATIONS

PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

447.01. Regulating labor unions; state policy.

(1) Because of the activities of labor unions affecting the economic conditions of the country and the state, entering as they do into practically every business and industrial enterprise, it is the sense of the Legislature that such organizations affect the public interest and are charged with a public use. The working person, unionist or nonunionist, must be protected. The right to work is the right to live.

(2) It is here now declared to be the policy of the state, in the exercise of its sovereign constitutional police power, to regulate the activities and affairs of labor unions, their officers, agents, organizers and other representatives, in the manner, and to the extent hereafter set forth. (Enacted 1943, amended effective July 1, 1997.)

447.02. Definitions.

The following terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(1) The term “labor organization” means any organization of employees or local or subdivision thereof, having within its membership residents of the state, whether incorporated or not, organized for the purpose of dealing with employers concerning hours of employment, rate of pay, working conditions, or grievances of any kind relating to employment and recognized as a unit of bargaining by one or more employers doing business in this state, except that an “employee organization,” as defined in s. 447.203(11), shall be included in this definition at such time as it seeks to register pursuant to s. 447.305.

* * * * (Enacted 1943, amended effective July 1, 2002.)

447.03. Employees' right of self-organization.

Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor unions or labor organizations or to refrain from such activity, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in concerted activities, for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. (Enacted 1943, amended 1974.)

447.14. Penalties.

Any person or labor organization who shall violate any of the provisions of this part shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. (Enacted 1943, amended 1991.)

447.17 Civil remedy; injunctive relief.

(1) Any person who may be denied employment or discriminated against in his employment on account of membership or nonmembership in any labor union or labor organization shall be entitled to recover from the discriminating employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association, acting separately or in concert, in the courts of this state, such damages as he may have sustained and the costs of suit, including reasonable attorney's fees. If such employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association acted willfully and with malice or reckless indifference to the rights of others, punitive damages may be assessed against such employer, other person, firm, corporation, labor union, labor organization, or association.

(2) Any person sustaining injury as a result of any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this section shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violation.

(3) The remedy and relief provided for by this section shall not be available to public employees as defined in part II of this chapter. (Enacted 1974; amended 1997.)

PART II. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

447.301. Public employees' rights; organization and representation.

(1) Public employees shall have the right to form, join, and participate in, or to refrain from forming, joining, or participating in, any employee organization of their own choosing.

* * * * (Enacted 1974.)

447.501. Unfair labor practices.

(1) Public employers or their agents or representatives are prohibited from:

(a) Interfering with, restraining, or coercing public employees in the exercise of any rights guaranteed them under this part.

(b) Encouraging or discouraging membership in any employee organization by discrimination in regard to hiring, tenure, or other conditions of employment.

* * * *

(2) A public employee organization or anyone acting in its behalf or its officers, representatives, agents, or members are prohibited from:

(a) Interfering with, restraining, or coercing public employees in the exercise of any rights guaranteed them under this part . . . .

(b) Causing or attempting to cause a public employer to discriminate against an employee because of the employee's membership or nonmembership in an employee organization or attempting to cause the public employer to violate any of the provisions of this part.

http://www.nrtw.org/c/flrtwlaw.htm

Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

We are also "at will" state. Anyone can be fired regardless or contract or union status. Of course, HR may require a "paper trail" before entertaining legal separation; but no one's position is safe in NJ.

M

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

34 bed medical othopedics unit. Ratio is 4:1 or 5:1 on 3-11. We never go over that limit and may actually go lower when we have heavy patients. The charge nurse does not take a patient load on any shift, leaving them free to help the staff. We also have an excellent staffing ratios for nursing assistants and unit secretaries. Washington state, small county, public hospital 15 minutes north of Seattle. Our patient satisfaction scores are wonderful and we almost never have a fall.

Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

Northern Delaware

My former MedSurg floor, 5-6:1 on days/evenings, 7:1 on nights (once in a great while 8:1)

My current MedSurg floor, 5:1 days, 5:1 nights (occasionally 6:1)

Same health care system, different hospital, same management though.

San Francisco General Hospital, med.surg 5:1, my unit (TBI stepdown) 3-4:1

Specializes in Medical.

Kansas HCA Hospital

6-8:1 Medical Telemetry

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