Average # of admissions and discharges per shift

Nurses General Nursing

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On my floor (ortho/neuro/trauma), the turn around seems to be really quick. I usually discharge half my team during my eight hour shift and get a couple of admissions to replace the discharges.

My (day) shift goes like this:

-Start with 6 patients

-Discharge 2 or 3 of them

-Get 1 or 2 admissions

I'm curious to see if this is typical for most floors.

How many admissions and discharges do you average during your shift?

What specialty do you work?

What shift (days, PM's or nights)?

Thanks!

noyesno

Specializes in ICU, MICU, SICU.

I work 7p-7a with a max ratio of 6:1. I usually don't have many discharges, maybe one or two a month. Normally when I come into work I'll have 1-3 empty beds in my section, and they are always filled by the AM. We do a lot of pt. transfers at night too, so I can sometimes end up with 4-5 admits. It takes me about 45 minutes to admit stuff (computerized! woohoo) so it isn't too bad, usually.

Specializes in OB, Med/Surg, Ortho, ICU.

Hello! I work in a critical access hospital in rural Montana. We all work in OB, med/surg, ortho, and ICU. If I'm on M/S, I usually have 4-5 a shift w/ occasional admit and really only discharge if they die. All the discharges happen during the day.

Specializes in LTC.

I'm a nurse in LTC. I work the night shift and so I generally have no admits and no discharges (unless someone dies). However it isn't unusual (I have the same residents every night) to come back from my 4 days off (I work 3 12s) to have a few new residents and a few residents that have died/gone home.

I work night shift on a neuro floor. I typically get 2 admissions and rarely get discharges.

Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

I work ortho. Typically 3-5 admits and discharges a day. I hate the days when you discharge all your patients and fill up with all new post ops.

Specializes in CICU.

Night shift here. Ratio 4-5:1, depends on census. If we are full/nearly full I may not get any admissions. Typically I expect at least one if I start with 4, 2 if I start with 3 (rare).

May also get a transfer from ICU or the floors instead of an admit. At least this is less paperwork =)

I work ortho. Typically 3-5 admits and discharges a day. I hate the days when you discharge all your patients and fill up with all new post ops.

this should be illegal!

it would be okay, if there wasnt so much charting to be required & the constant monitoring of vitals & assessments....If you have any adverse reactions or multiple negative outcomes thats enough to make u want to pull your hair out or have an emotional break down.

It drains you...

Specializes in Family Medicine.
I work ortho. Typically 3-5 admits and discharges a day. I hate the days when you discharge all your patients and fill up with all new post ops.

Yes, I hate those days and they've been happening more often lately.

It's craziness working on 2-3 discharges in conjunction with your morning med pass and assessments. By the time you finish all this it's usually around lunch time and instead of giving you a break to sit down and eat/refresh, they slam you with admissions to fill those empty beds up!

Today wasn't too bad, starting this thread gave me some good luck.

Started with 6 patients

Discharged 2 patients

Admitted 1 patient

Please no jogging. Take it from me. Wet floor, fall, er, off work, no money can not say why, lost home, now living in a hotel.

Specializes in tele, oncology.

I work tele/oncology on nights; we're 5-6:1. It's pretty much a guarantee that any who got downgraded to medical will get transferred, and all beds will be filled by morning. Generally we walk into between 5-7 empty beds and one or two who can transfer to medical. So one or two admits per nurse per shift is routine.

One of the worst nights I've ever worked we walked into 14 empty beds (out of 25) and transferred 2 medicals off on top of that. All beds were filled by midnight, and we were 6:1 b/c of the low census at the beginning of the shift. That means that between four nurses, we got 16 admits in about four hours. It was freaking crazy!

Specializes in Family Medicine.
Please no jogging. Take it from me. Wet floor, fall, er, off work, no money can not say why, lost home, now living in a hotel.

nurse.sandi, I will not jog. So sorry to hear what you're going through. Sounds like a very unfair situation. :(

Specializes in Family Medicine.

I think my floor REALLY needs to consider staffing plans. They divvy up the assignments with no consideration of acuity or who is getting discharged soon. Some days I come in with 6 patients who are almost ready to go home with none of the discharge paper work done.

Yesterday, 5 out of 6 of my patients were confused, two on contact precautions, etc. Yikes! The one alert and oriented patient was depressed and didn't want to go home so she threw herself on the floor cutting open her head. Mind you, she did this right at 7:15 am while report was being given. Great way to start the day.

Day off today. Thank the Lord above.

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