How many patients do you typically have (day/night)??

StrwbryblndRN · Nov 18, 2011

I work med-surg nights. I used to have 6 on a regular basis. Lately I have had 4 or 5.

Day shift get 3-4 pt's. However since we have alot of observation/discharges, I have seen nurses get up to 8 pt's in their shift.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Nov 18, 2011

ICU: 1/2-2 depending on the acuity. For example:

CRRT: 1:1

Hypothermia: 2 nurses:1 pt

Open Heart: 1:1

And sometimes they will just make them a 1:1 because they are that sick.

I've had to give 6 PRBC's 4 FFP plus a couple other things in a couple hours, a situation like that warrants a 1:1 and a lot of help.

There are other nights where I feel like a very knowledgeable babysitter, waiting for something to happen (that usually does) or the fact that I am watching the patient so closely helps prevent it.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Nov 18, 2011

I work mother/baby and we usually have 4-5 couplets, so 8-10 patients.

birdie22 · Nov 18, 2011

I work in med/surg...4 on days; 5-6 on nights.

When I used to work tele...3 on days; 5 on nights.

Midwest4me · Nov 18, 2011

I work in a psych hospital. Many areas have many 1:1s and 2:1s due to violent patients we have. On average each unit houses 24 pts.

On day shift we'll have 2-3 RNs, 1-2 LPNs, and 5-6 psych techs, I know it SOUNDS like lots of staff but when we have off-grounds appointments and various activities for the patients, it's not enough staff.

Swing shift staff #s are similar. Night shift usually has 1-2 RNs and 3-4 psych techs.

Wave Watcher · Nov 18, 2011

When I worked Ortho/Neuro I had 6-7 pts....when I worked rehab at night we had 10-11 pts.

Either way it was too many.

lucky_shamrock · Nov 18, 2011

I'm on a renal/vascular med surg floor, second shift. We typically have 4 or 5 - maybe 6 on really crazy days.

This used to be with a full time charge nurse, who took off orders, called the docs PRN, etc. We just recently changed to an EMR and the charge RN position is going to be phased out. It's a very heavy floor with many total care pts, precaution pts and some very sick people - so I'm a little scared. :)

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Med-surg here. I get 5-8 pts each day.

Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

SNF. Day shift has 5-6. I work nights and usually have 7-10.

TriathlonRN · Nov 18, 2011

Work days on Med/Surg/Tele unit. Suppose to be 4/1 tele, 5/1 med/surg but we have been going over ratio in the last 6 months.

BronxRN28 · Nov 18, 2011

I work on a med/surg floor night shift 11pm-7:30am. I can have as many as 8 patients and usually we have between 7-8 on any given night, which can be crazy sometimes.