How many patients do you have on average?

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Hey fellow nurses! I've just accepted a job in med surg as an RN. Coming from LTC will definitely be a change of scenery. How many patients do you guys have on a med surg unit assigned to you at any given time? Our max and usual ratio is one RN to six patients on days. This is a general medical floor ( not too many surgical patients). I'm just wondering if this is average, and hoping I will continue to provide very good care like I did in the nursing home. Thanks!

Congratulations on the new position! To answer your question: for experienced RNs, the usual ratio is 1:6-7. I work nights and our tech ratio is 1:12. Our RNs just coming off orientation are capped at 4 patients for a while, then 5, then set loose to have 6-7. We take it fairly easy on new-grads - hopefully your new hospital will do the same.

The best piece of advice I think I can give anyone starting out on a med-surg floor is this: Be nice to your techs. Your tech can make or break your night/day on a med/surg floor. Being nice to them will help guarantee they're nice to you.

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The ratio depends on which state your working in. For California the ratio is 5:1. So sometimes I start with 4 and expect an admit later on in the day. Just depends.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.
The ratio depends on which state your working in. For California the ratio is 5:1. So sometimes I start with 4 and expect an admit later on in the day. Just depends.

No. The ratio only depends on the state you're working in if your state is California -- California is the ONLY state with mandated ratios. And 1:5 is only if it is strictly Med-Surg without telemetry. If there are telemetry patients in the mix, the ratio becomes 1:4.

You can read the actual legislation here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/services/DPOPP/regs/Documents/R-37-01_Regulation_Text.pdf

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Specializes in ER LTC MED SURG CLINICS UROLOGY.

Well I am on a new job (second week) and we run one to five or six days. We have techs but they are caring for 12 patients each, so basically I find myself toileting patients, bringing them snacks and drinks, checking vitals, doing mostly all of my accuchecks, etc. I really feelike I'm doing primary nursing with six patients. Maybe when I get quicker with epic charting it won't seem as bad 😁

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M/s days 1:8

1 tech per hall which was up to 22 patients each.

Florida

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Specializes in Education, Skills & Simulation, Med/Surg, Pharm.

I usually have 5 patients. Very very busy 5 patients... The kind of patients that have been step-down at previous hospitals... But it's a great learning experience with coworkers that have your back.

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1 or 2

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Oncology, Level 1 Trauma.

We are a Neurosurgery/Oncology/Med-Surg unit. On days we are 5:1 and nights 6:1, if we are staffed. We are the only level 1 Trauma facility though for 100 miles in any direction and the Safety Net hospital for our region. Most days you can expect a minimum of 2 discharges and 2 new admissions during a 12 HR shift. Our CA ratio is great though we are a 38 bed unit and on days we have 5 techs, nights 3. As a previous poster said good CA's can make or break a shift

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Med/Surg. Max of 6. Rarely have PCA's so gets very very busy at times.

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On a post-surgical unit.. We have 5-6. Fully staffed, some RNs may only have 4 while some take 5.

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I work on a med/surg/tele unit and we usually have 4-5 patients on days and pms, then nights anywhere from 5-8 depending on staffing!

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I too am coming from LTC where some evenings I am the only nurse with 40 patients. Looking forward to now being an RN at a hospital with 4-6 patients. I realize they will be more acute, but still it has to be easier than 40 no mater what!

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