Ebb & flow of pt census?

[PJMommy]

Our veteran nurses often refer to certain times as typically being a high census or a low census. As a newer nurse, it's interesting to see how often they are correct. They also share when we'll see what types of pts.

- A full moon is good for at least a couple of trauma admissions and a crazy ER

- The holidays bring lots of suicide attempts.

- The first snowfall is good for several MIs - shoveling.

- Early to mid spring -- same thing -- several MIs from those who decided to mow the lawn after sitting around all winter.

- Spontaneous head bleeds with big weather changes

- Lots of babies born 9 months after the big snowfall

- First really nasty cold snap = COPD exascerbations

- Summer = traumas and head injuries; often related to ETOH

- Falling off ladders in late November/December/January -- Christmas lights.

In general, busier in the summer than the rest of the year. This year was interesting as we'd had several relatively quiet weeks leading up to Christmas and then BAM, at least 5 unrelated GSWs on Christmas Day.

So, what ebbs and flows do you notice on your units???

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

I used to work for an ophthalmologist. We did most of our cornea transplants when corneas became available: around holidays when drunks were on the road.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I think the docs run unadvertised specials. One week knee replacements, next is hip fractures, then colon resections. Then we move to appys and choles. Then come the influx of GI bleeds, UTI, impactions. Geez i wish theyd let us know, we could pick and choose which weeks to take for vacations.

[unknown99, BSN, RN]

We see these same type of patients about the same time. You can just about predict it!

[asher315]

People often ask if the full moon causes more babies to be delivered, I don't know but it seems to bring out the loonies. The woman who said she was 8 months pregnant and had not felt the baby in the last few hours, US showed no baby at all. We sent her to other professionals for help. The change in the weather (barometric pressure, for example) brings out ladies with spontaneous rupture of membranes. And where I'm at now, watch out for the holidays...they are always busy.