nurse-to-patient ratio

Nurses General Nursing

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What do you think about the proposed for nurse-to-patient-staffing ratio?

After reading some of these ratios, I'm starting to think maybe we don't have it so bad after all! Our cardiology and med/surg units are staffed as a "care pair" model with one nurse/CNA per 6 patients on days and evenings. On nights we do "modified primary" with nurses taking up to 7 with some CNA support. For example, if the unit has 24 patients, we would staff with 4 RN and two CNAs on nights. We changed to this model 1 1/2 years ago and we haven't had too many complaints. Our biggest challenge is the acuity/activity, especially admits and discharges. We are also receiving a lot of pressure right now from administration, who are now comparing our staffing guidelines to other areas and realizing that our HPPD (hours per patient day) is on the high side compared to other hospitals of similar size and service line. I'm fearful the conclusion will be to go back to our old model, which was overwhelming for everyone.:o:

Specializes in Emergency.

I'm a new graduate and have been offered positions in oncology 5:1 and in a cardio thoracic icu 2:1.

IMHO a 3:1 client nurse ratio is nice. I've dealt with 5 clients on a med/surge floor, but fear taking a job on an oncology floor with a 5:1 ratio .

I need to call both of these hospitals on MOnday regarding their offers and I wll accept the ICU2:1 ratio positon.

I feel bad about the high ratios and something really needs to be done. I am comfortable with oncology after they train me, but running chemo on 5 patients when all i've run as a new grad is antibiotics is a little scarey.

I am thinking the cardio/thoracic icu is where i gotta be.

xo

Jen

On nights, we can have upto 8 patients, which in my opinion, is very UNSAFE, especially if you have 2 or 3 which are very critical. We were just told that there is a hiring freeze, as the hospital "can't afford" to hire anyone else. The charge nurses now have to take patients. Their opinion is "if you don't like it here, go somewhere else. This really stinks. There are mornings that the nurses don't get out till 9am

It fascinates me as I read posts about staffing ratio's from time to time.....How, in some hospitals, the nurses' on a telemetry unit will be staffed 1:5 and others post their units are usually staffed 1:7-8.

Or a med-surg unit staffs 1:5-6 and others post that their usual ratio is 1:8-9.

I always wish I could find the 1:5 hospitals. Even when interviewing, the managers will tell you " I staff the unit 1:5 on days and 1:6-7 on nights.

In actuality, it turns out to be 1:6-7 on days and 1:7,8,9 and 10 on nights.

So, the prospective employee doesn't really have a means to

determine ratio's. Do they?

Could we call the unit prior to interviewing and ask, "what is your usual staffing ratios' ?

Would you tell someone who called to inquire?

I think most of us simply hire on and learn the "real job truths"

after it is too late.

Hence, all the "I hate my job" posts.

I work in LTC for MRDD. We have 60 multihandicap residents. On days they have 4 nurses mostly LPN and at leaste 12 NA's 2nd get 3 and some times 4 nurses LPN's and 12 NA's nocts which is what I work gets 2 LPN's and 4 to 6 NA's. Staffing levels are awsome compared to the NH I used to work at which at noc was 1LPN and 2 NA's for 54-60 residents. We have great staffing levels but a toxic environment go figure guess ya cant have it all.

I work in western NY, our staffing ration is 1 nurse to 6 to 7 patients. Offen times were ask to work charge, orient new staff, or cover LPN staff in addition to a patient load of 7 patients. This is a common patient load on med/surg floors

I am an LPN waiting for my letter to take the RN state boards here in Illinois. I work on an ortho neuro floor where on a given night I can have as many as 7 patients or as few as 5.

Sara

Originally posted by passing thru

It fascinates me as I read posts about staffing ratio's from time to time.....How, in some hospitals, the nurses' on a telemetry unit will be staffed 1:5 and others post their units are usually staffed 1:7-8.

Or a med-surg unit staffs 1:5-6 and others post that their usual ratio is 1:8-9.

I always wish I could find the 1:5 hospitals. Even when interviewing, the managers will tell you " I staff the unit 1:5 on days and 1:6-7 on nights.

In actuality, it turns out to be 1:6-7 on days and 1:7,8,9 and 10 on nights.

So, the prospective employee doesn't really have a means to

determine ratio's. Do they?

Could we call the unit prior to interviewing and ask, "what is your usual staffing ratios' ?

Would you tell someone who called to inquire?

I think most of us simply hire on and learn the "real job truths"

after it is too late.

Hence, all the "I hate my job" posts.

I have one job working 12 hours twice a week with benefits. Fellow direct care nurses know I will pick up if they call me in on a night off if I can make it. NOT the nursing office or I would be working to avoid their paying the $$$ for registry or OT to a full time nurse. I work registry out of curiosity and because I have friends at other hospitals. Not really looking for a new job at this time, BUT:

A 'recruiter called to ask if I would take a position at a Tenet facility near my home. I asked about the number of patients and this person was not a nurse. She only knew the pay and benefits. No retirement but BIG sign on bonus.

Nurse manager called back and told me only that

I asked about telemetry staffing both in case I float and for my patients to get sufficient nursing care when they transfer. She told me I would be told after filling out an application and accepting a position.

Anyone think staffing is safe on tele? Why the big secret?

This is definitely a subject of interest to me. I work LTC, NOC, usually I have 50 patients with a med tech and 4 aides. The support staff is great, but the problems arise when the other nurse doesn't show. A very frequent occurence. Then, I am the only licensed nurse in the building, I have 100 patients, the one med tech (for all 100, though I help her when I can), and 7 aides. Needless to say, this has led to some miserable nights, like the time the whole house had the flu. All I can do is call the DON, who has never once come in or helped in any way. Calls to agency are useless, as we never realize in time that the other nurse actually isn't showing. I've learned to give up on her after midnight. I can't blame the agency folks for not wanting to come in, they're already in their warm beds. When I've brought up safe staffing levels in nurses meetings, I'm told we staff according to fire safety. Thus, the security guard and janitor count as staff! I am scared out of my mind that one of my patients will 'go bad', and get lost in the shuffle. Not to mention the fear for my license. Thank God for the wonderful CNA's and Med tech, without them, I would have already drowned.

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