Baby to Nurse Ratio

Published

I've heard that NICUs keep one nurse on for each baby? Is this only in certain situations? The only reasoning I've heard on this is because some babies can go downhill fast and need constant attention/monitoring and someone to available at all times for them. I was wondering how true this is and what everyone elses hospital does...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Newborn ICU, Trauma ICU, Burn ICU, Peds.

I'm sure every NICU is different. I work in a Level IIIc (highest level NICU, sometimes called a Level IV) and rarely are our patients 1:1. Even our ECMO's are doubled (there is an ECMO tech). 1:1's are usually the babies that are being placed on ECMO, Cool Cap's or Body Cooling in the initial stages or in the rewarming phase, babies with Peritoneal Dialysis or babies that are crashing at the moment. Most of the time our vented kiddos are 2:1 (2 babies, 1 nurse), our non-vented babies (CPAP, NC, etc...) that are stable are usually 3:1, and on rare occasions, 4:1 with a tech in the assignment to help out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Pretty much what she said.... We don't do ECMO at out Level III, but do occasionally have 1:1's, usually SICK HFOV's, iNO's, fresh postops, isolations, if we only have 1 iso kid. Otherwise we use DHEC's guidelines for determining acuity which usually gives us 2-3 babies apiece depending on our acuity mix.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Newborn ICU, Trauma ICU, Burn ICU, Peds.

Thanks Steve, I forgot those. (I've been off on medical for five months with V-Tach, so it's been a while.)

Yep, we also single sick oscillator or jet kids. But I emphasize the word, SICK. Even those are usually doubled unless you are giving lots of blood products, making frequent changes to drip rates, etc...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks everyone...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion