Better Ratios at the Daycare!!!

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Oct 31, 2004

I was reading my hospital's newletter promoting a daycare available to a couple of our local hospital's workers. It sounds great, right by the hospital and get this. . . They provide a childcare providor for every 4 infants (different ratios for older kids). Wow, how cool is that!!! (sarcastically) Especially since our NICU routinely assigns 4-5 infants per nurse in our feeder/grower rooms!! (that would be our most stable kids, but still). Now, I know there is a difference between NICU's and daycare centers but then. . . that's my point!!!! Just chapped my hide after a kind of difficult week at work

One provider per 4 infants is a minimum ratio for daycare according to state law, where I live. That said, I have also seen 4 feeder/growers per nurse becoming more common in our NICU (I would not take 5 - that is just unsafe, though I've heard it's happened). It is still a **** ICU for heavens' sake! Nice to know that healthy kids in daycare get better ratios than infants in the NICU - I'm sure the insurance companies paying $2000/day for NICU care would love to get hold of that info.

3 feeders per nurse is PLENTY! But, what is best for the babies is not the primary concern - nope it is $$$. We didn't used to give 4 babies to a nurse routinely, but once they figured out that nurses would do it, you'd better believe they started doing it left and right. :angryfire

allnurses Guide · Oct 31, 2004

I have never worked in a day care center but I have four kids and I was exhausted when taking care of one infant at a time. :) Sometimes there was NO time for even a shower during the day. I have a hard time seeing how one person could give the amount of care 4 infants (or 3 or 2) would need during an entire day.

steph

lifeisbeautiful · Oct 31, 2004

There are more people working behind the counter at our local Starbuck's then in our PACU.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Nov 1, 2004

That is the norm in most places. At least it isn't like our peds floor where you have 5-6 peds patients. 4 babies is nothing compared to that!

At least you have daycare close by!

Jo Dirt · Nov 1, 2004

It makes me sad that moms have to be away from their kids at all.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Nov 1, 2004

That is the norm in most places. At least it isn't like our peds floor where you have 5-6 peds patients. 4 babies is nothing compared to that!
At least you have daycare close by!

I don't agree. On the floor, the parents are there and provide most of the care - not so in NICU, especially at night - they aren't even there to help hold/feed. Also, complications such as NEC are not just a feeding away for the kids on the floor and those kids usually arent even on a monitor...meanwhile the babies are having A&B's every time you turn around - you just sort of hope that someone can get to them if you are tied up with another baby. I think if we are going to keep the feeder/growers in the ICU, then we should give them ICU ratios. There is a reason they are not on the floor - they still need to be watched closely.

One would think they would need to be watched closer than healthy infants in a daycare - I just get frustrated when I feel like I am unable to give the babies as much attention as they should be getting.