How many couplets are you responsible for?

[zoo*moon, BSN, RN]

i left my med-surg position because the 30-bed floor was regularly staffed with only 3 or 4 nurses. if one called in sick, they never found a replacement so it was one nurse with up to 10 patients. that was way too much for me. i worked there about 10 years. well so i found a new job to get new experience. i am on a postpartum floor, about the same size, but really double with both moms and babies. the usual assignment is 4 couplets. i was told standard of care allowed up to 5. i cannot believe this and thought i'd type my question on this board. last night, of my 4, i had two fresh c-sections and one had complications. mom and baby assessments are every 4 hours. it is way too much, too busy, too much to juggle. so much going on. not really much better than med-surg. i hoped to get at least a year experience but i don't think i can make it.

[idaRN]

Hi! After reading you post, now I'm not too excited to work on my next job. I applied in a hospital in Baltimore, MD and they told me that my placement will be in MedSurg or OB ward. I have never worked in a ward before because I am with Dialysis. I just hope that i can cope with this new job. I will be waiting for replies of this message. Good Luck!

[cherokeesummer]

We start the day with 5 couplets usually and then get new admits as we are hopefully discharging. 5 is the norm but we do get up to 6. In the past I've had up to 7 couplets but that was/is very rare. It is not ideal but its not getting better with the economy crunch now. I have lots more to say on it but am running behind today LOL!

[mommybess, BSN, RN]

4 couplets is our max. On a rare ocassion we may have 6 couplets. More than a total of 8 patients is NOT safe and almost impossible to manage.

[cherokeesummer]

4 couplets is our max. On a rare ocassion we may have 6 couplets. More than a total of 8 patients is NOT safe and almost impossible to manage.

I agree with you 100% I wish we could make our admin see that this is the case.

[NurseNora, BSN, RN]

AWHONN standards are for 3-4 couplets per nurse. That's healthy couplets, not ones with complications.

[shah]

We have either 4 couplets or a combination of couplets and Gyn surgeries who act out and need lots of pain medicine. At the end of the day, they add in another patient.

[Mom/BabyLisa]

We have a maximum of 3 M/B couplets on days and a maximum of 4 on nights. The facilitator tries to mix it up the best she can with more complicated and less complicated. If one is discarged we then would pick up another new delivery if there happens to be one. It is a good number, but even at that can be difficult and you really have to be organized to manage it!

Good Luck!

[shah]

Our managers told us babies don't count. You have only 4 patients. But babies do count, surely when they go bad on you. Some hospitals in town give you 6 couplets with mom/baby blood draws and taking out of trash with no CNA's.

We also have PD's on the floor. Sometimes people get 3 couplets and a PD, which is bad.

[zoo*moon, BSN, RN]

our managers told us babies don't count. you have only 4 patients. but babies do count, surely when they go bad on you. some hospitals in town give you 6 couplets with mom/baby blood draws and taking out of trash with no cna's.

we also have pd's on the floor. sometimes people get 3 couplets and a pd, which is bad.

i can't believe a manager would think that. omg, babies don't count? that's crazy! yeah, they're choking, gagging, turning gray, not pooping or peeing, have to spend so much time with them because they won't latch on, bleeding from their circumcision. right, they don't count. sheesh.

what are pds?

[littleblueangel]

4 couplets, we also take care of gyn's which is 5 pts. taking care or 4 couplets can be very hard at times when they are demanding or have complications.

[mbuRN]

We typically start the shift with 4-5 couplets, have 1 to 2 admissions and anywhere from 1 to 3 discharges each day. Throw in q4hr assessments on moms and babes, qhr checks x24hrs on fresh C/S, pt teaching, and LATCH assessments/breastfeeding assistance and the day can get pretty hectic! But, I love it and couldn't imagine working anywhere else!