ED nurse to patient staffing ratios

[magicman]

I have a request from my fellow Florida nurses. We were told at our last staff meeting that our staffing ratio was one of the best in the state at 5:1, and that the average in the state was more like 7:1 or worse. We were "dared" by our department director to find a better ratio in the state for an ED. I KNOW there have GOT to be better ratios than 5:1 (I mean being EXPECTED to start out with that ratio, not what ends up happening with holds, etc.). Please help me show this. I need the hospital name and the scheduled ratio, nurse to patient and/or nurse to bed amount. Or, if anyone knows of where I can find this information already posted, either here or another site, please let me know. Thanks in advance!

[magicman]

Are there no other Florida E.D. nurses here? I'd really like to get some input on this.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Let's see, in our ER, we staff 8-9 RNs and 4 LPNs for 24 beds (which, more realistically is for 39 beds with our halls full) in the Main ED (Critical Care). In our Intermediate Care area, we staff 5 RNs and 3-4 LPNs for 24 beds. But pt assignments are based on acuity, some of our rooms are staffed one RN for 2 pts, others one RN (with 1-2 LPNs) for 8 pts.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

The ENA endorses a 4:1 ratio in the ER - that's what the IL RN's are pushing for.