How many patients?

It definately depends on where you work.

7:1 in the hospitals I worked in. That was at nights. It was 6:1 during the days.

I work nights on a med-surg telemetry floor, and our goal ratio is 1 nurse to 5 patients. Unfortunately, that ratio doesn't take acuity into consideration when making assignments... I've seen assignments go as high as 7:1 (on days as well as nights), but thankfully that doesn't happen TOO often.

There are still hospitals which have a 12:1 ratio.. yes, it's true. :stone

8-9 patients per nurse on my unit - that is for both day and night shift.

In med-surg I worked with 1:6. There was a CNA for every 12 patients, 15 when working short. Secretaries worked days and evenings only.

Ratios are only part of the story.

See also how much nursing assistance coverage there is, if there are any secretaries, IV start teams, patient transporters, transport nurse(for patient trips on telemetry) and if the charge nurse takes a patient assignment.

My department is set up strangely. We have three different floors with the same staff, nurse management, and type of patients.

1st floor:

7 patients, each in a private room

Day/Evening:

2 nurses, 1 with 4 (LPN if there is one), 1 with 3

1 tech

Midnight:

1 RN

1 tech

2nd floor:

16 patients, 2 in private rooms

Day/Evening:

3 nurses, 1 with 6 (LPN if there is one), 2 with 5

2 techs, each with 7

Midnights:

if we're fully staffed, nursing is the same; if we're not:

3 nurses, 2 with 7, one RN with 2 (who is also in charge of ALL nursing on all three floors)

1 tech, with 16

3rd floor:

14 patients, all semi-private rooms

Day/Evening:

3 nurses, 2 with 5, 1 with 4

2 techs, each with 7

Midnights:

2 nurses, each with 7

1 tech with 14

I think it's sooo much better than my old place, 7 patients per RN on day, 9 per RN on Midnights...and that was a Cardiac floor!

*Jess*

Days:

Want no more than 4pts with at least a tech, secretary and charge.

Expect 5pts, no tech, and charge nurse gets at least 2 pts. (weekdays)

Nights.

Want no more than 5-6pts (depends on acuity if we can help it)

charge gets same amount of pts and no tech.

Expect up to 8pts a piece with only 2 nurses on floor. (we only have 18 rooms, so even if full you could not get more than 9pts)

The expected numbers are due to short staffing. We are getting shorter since some of the nurses won't put up with the lack of help.

6-7 on days. 7 to ??? on nights. Usually 3 aids on days, 2 on evenings and 1 on nights. this is on a floor with 33/34 beds. Sometimes the beds/rooms are closed for construction. LOL. The construction is administration constructs lies to cover the lack of staff. Nurses leave quickly at this facility. Me too.

I'm on a medical telemetry unit. We do primary care typically on days the nurses have 4-5 pts a piece with 2 aides, ward clerk, and a charge nurse that doesn't take patients. On night shift it's 5-6 pts with 1-2 aides and the charge nurse takes a full load. The acuity is so high on our floor and we get so many types of pts in, total cares, chemo pts, end of life care, cardiac, dialysis pts, etc.

I think on Med/surg and tele floors the ratio should be set 1:4 on all shifts, when you have 6 pts, 3 of which are unstable and one that's a comfort care that's getting ready to pass away, it's sometimes impossible to catch up.

Our floor has 36 beds. 1st shift has 8 nurses, 4 CNAs, a charge nurse with no patients and a secretary. 2nd shift has 8 nurses, 2-3 CNAs depending on number of patients on the unit, a charge nurse with no patients unless short staffed, and a secretary. 3rd shift is 6 nurses with 2 CNAs, charge nurse is included in one of the 6. Of course this is in an ideal world when all staff actually are there but that is the guidelines we use.

My unit holds 50 beds, 24 in the north side and 26 in the south. Staffing has been better lately where we have 5 RNs on each side with either 3 PCAs or 2 PCAs and a LPN who can assist with the med pass. When it's like this you may have 5-6 pts Now I won't lie, there have been days when we are SHORT..coming in at 7a w/ 8pts. And like I have always said it's not the number is the acuity. I have had 5pts and was running all day long and have had 8 where it's not too bad. It all depends on what is going on.