Codes against doing cardiac drips on a medical floor?

[J.R. RN]

I work on a "telemetry unit" that does every drip know to man. There are no exceptions to the drips we do, but we are technically considered a "med-surg unit." It is very frequent that we have 5 and 6 patients. I one night had to act as charge with 6 patients while 3 were on drips that I was titration all night long. Are there any regulations against this very unsafe situation?

[smoke over fire]

I couldn't tell if you're in California, but on a side note legislation if being worked on to define "what is a tele unit vs a med surg unit". tele units can have very different definitions. I work for a large HMO and we have almost no drips, with the same 4-5 ratio. No vents. Last hospital had simialrly to you drips and vents and one CNA for 25 patients. I quit. I love my coworkers and still keep in touch, but felt like I was the one who needed meds! Ultimately I read that the patient's on today's tele units are the same acuity of those who where ICU in the 70's when the ratio was changed to 1:2. And that's one reason why I changed jobs.