General Nursing Poll...What is the nurse to patient ratio at your hosptial?

[Polly Dipcya]

What is the nurse to patient ratio at the hospital you work at? Do you feel its to high. Safe?? Is the hospital adequately staffed when the census is low? I work in a small rural hosp. on the med/surg floor, normally the ratio is 7:1 ( can go as high as 9). We don't get an aide unless the until the census is 9 (11 on nights). If the census is low eg. 4 then its one RN on the floor by herself, we can call on respiratory to help provided that they're not in ER or another dept. (Only on RT per shift for whole hosp). Our average census is about 13-14...We get 2 nurses and one cna. I'd appreciate any feedback...Thanks:wink2:

[Melinurse]

Our hospital: Day shift 5:1

PM shift 5-6:1

Nights 7-8:1

We get an LPN if 9 pts. ( more cost effective than 2 RNs )

CNAs take on Day shift 7:1

PM shift 9:1

Nights 14:1 ( if short 22 to 1 )

Do I think it is safe? sometimes, depends on pt accuity.

Ideal would be : Day shift 4:1 or 6:1 if paired with LPN

PM shift 5:1 or 7:1 if paired with LPN

Nights 6-7:1 or up to 9 if paired with LPN

Ideal for CNAs to do quality good job

Day shift 5-6:1

Pm shift 6:1

Nights 10:1

Sometimes I feel like the "unit costs" and the almighty " budget " dictate what is considered safe patient care. I work nights and there are some nights where I could take up to 9 pts with no problem, and other nights where I wish I only had 3 pts because those 3 truly NEED close to one on one care. I wish hospitals would staff based on how the patients are doing rather than by the numbers.

[jreed]

usually 6 for RN with day shift and 1 assist for 15 pts, nite time or from 3-7 can have up to 10 pts with no assist, nite, 8 -10 pts for RN, 1 assist for 30 pts, they can set the medicus to make it staff how they want, if its minimal staffing how about when lunches are taken, UNDERSTAFFED....

[StarlightRN]

The med surg floor I work on has 32 beds

Days will have 6 RN's (5-6 pts each) and one charge nurse with 5 CNA's.

Evenings will have 6 RN's (5-6 pts each) one charge nurse and 3 CNA's.

Nights will have 4 RN's (8 pts each) no charge nurse and 3 CNA's. On nights the charge nurse has to take a group of 8 patients.

[Piki]

Days: usually 5:1 (sometimes 4:1 tho you are more likely then to get the first admit)

Evenings: same as days

Nights: 5-7:1.

Days we have a charge nurse and usually 4 RNs. If we are full, then a day nurse will get 6 patients OR the charge nurse will take one.

Evenings the charge nurse will take a full load of patients usually from 7-11p.

Nights half the time they just have 3 RNs, and about the other half they have 4 scheduled. Charge nurse takes a full assignment.

[joshuaha]

If I am working on the more acute side of the pedi rehab facility, it is four to one. If I am working on the less acute side with strictly rehab kids (no trachs) It can get 5:1. I am only a new grad, but I feel most days it is pretty manageable.