How can 1 LPN take on 60 patients in one shift?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I am a new grad, LPN..And I heard that in a SNF, the ratio is 1 nurse to 60 patients..And in California, RNs get 1 nurse to 5 patients..I was wondering, how can this be and how do you deal with such a big patient load?

it happens in colorado i used to 65 acute care patients a night

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I am really trying hard to figure out how on earth would I be able to care for even 20 patients alone with aides. I hear a great deal about time management, and I guess it could be done, but, I don't think I would be able to give the patients the care they deserve, and I would be scared to death.

Hats off to the nurses that do it, you are my heros...seriously. I just believe that our elderly deserves better than that, and I blame the stingy nursing homes and other facilities that do this to people that are paying their hard earned money expecting care.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
I gradated in May 2006..I remember one time during clinical, I asked a CNA to help my patient with a shower..I asked the CNA if she needed me to stay with her to help my patient with the shower..She said no and that I could just leave to do other stuff..My unfair instructor wrote me up for that..:angryfire :angryfire In the real world, when I have to deal with such a heavy patient load and many other things to do, I stand by what I did..

As a LPN student your not suppose to shove ur work on to a CNA. As a student you get less patients so that you have time to adequatly document on that pt. In the real world the aide will be doing the showers but as a student you need to do everything for that patient from start to finish. I feel that it was lazy for yoou to get the aide to do the shower. Now if you did the care and the aide helped with transfering or turning the patient thats different not the aide doing it all

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
As a LPN student your not suppose to shove ur work on to a CNA. As a student you get less patients so that you have time to adequatly document on that pt. In the real world the aide will be doing the showers but as a student you need to do everything for that patient from start to finish. I feel that it was lazy for yoou to get the aide to do the shower. Now if you did the care and the aide helped with transfering or turning the patient thats different not the aide doing it all

That is true, you are being graded and evaluated on performing a complete assignment, in fact, if there are not enough or no aides, you would have to do it, anyhow, in addition to medication passes. The instructor probably felt that she could not check you off for a skill you didn't do. We weren't really even able to ask the CNA to help with a transfer, we were to ask one of our classmates, unless they were unavailable, because the CI wanted to see if we knew how to do proper transfers. My CI was great, because she would help us.

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Specializes in Tele; Med/Surg; ED.

With a med-aide and CNA it isn't a problem. Make sure everyone is doing their job and you do yours. Organization is key...

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Specializes in Tele; Med/Surg; ED.

Also - you should've been checked off for operating the lift before ever using it with a patient. When I was in school, the aides weren't even around - we did everything. If a classmate isn't around, ask your instructor or preceptor for help. That's what they're there for. Always ask a classmate for assistance. If they refuse then they should be in hot water if your instructor is worth her snuff! In the real world you will have to ask who's available to help you.

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