How many pts do you care for each day?

[luckymichelle]

I'm wondering the typical pt to LPN ratio. Does your RN have her own patients to perform cares on besides yours, and do you have CNA coverage?

I work on a Med-Surg floor of a small hospital. Little to no CNA coverage, so I do all of the vitals, cares, toileting, etc, the basic stuff. I usually have 4-5 patients that I am responsible for with the RN there to cover me if I need an IV push, a call to the MD, etc. My RN then will typically cover my 4-5 and have 1 or 2 of her own.

What's it like for everyone else?

Michelle

[Fiona59]

Usually 5. We look after our own patients. RN's have been required to look after our IV meds, but they do their own patients. We don't have NA's in our active treatment units (usually only on LTC)

[NorthernRose]

I work as an LPN in a LTC facility and have 42 residents with 2 CNA's on 11p-7a shift. Most nights it's very easy. What I have to do, depends on what day it is, if the Dr has been in, I might have 15-20 orders to check and sign off, or renewals to check. I do the supply ordering for the station, MDS's and charting on ADL's (could be 2 to 6 of them), AM blood sugar checks, urine spec. collections, I have a whole whopping 5 pills to pass in the morning unless the resident has a weekly Foxomax. I do have alot of prn pain meds/narcs that usually ups my meds to 10 total for the night. Most of my treatments are checking steri-strips/duoderms. I usually am out on the floor helping the CNA's and answering lights to help them out. My unit is mostly made up of 1 assist residents. Most nights we have 1 RN who is the supervisor for the facility (176 beds)and some nights she has her own 24 residents to do meds and treatments for. IV's I monitor and change the bags on but can not start or give meds in. Where I work, if the Dr. needs to be called, that would be up to me to do, but since its a small facility and off shift, the RN/Super. would be there to help.

[Blackcat99]

I work in a 10 bed hospice. We have 1 RN, 1 LPN and 1 CNA on all shifts. If we have 10 patients then I have 5. We usually have a census of 8 so I only have 4 patients and this is on night shift too.

[michelle95]

I just left a place that as an LPN, I had 20+ subacute patients. That is crazy. Other facilities that I have worked in (subacute) you never had more than 15 and most of the time 12-13.

Needless to say, I'm glad I'm gone from there.

[Nyna]

I mostly do 1 on 1 nursing care with emminent hospice patients. Some are harder than others. This past weekend my patient had TPN, NGt, morphine drip and a bunch of dressings!!!! Not to mention the emotional aspect in dealing with and helping the family through the dying process. I've worked our inpatient hospice unit. It's like intensive care for the dying. I would generally have 3 patients (we had 12 beds and ALWAYS full). It's a very busy place believe it or not with just 3 patients. Some of them get meds every hour on the hour. Lots of dressings, central lines ...you name it. Sometimes by the time you complete an admission, the patient is actually actively dying. It's a huge emotional drain. I can't work there all the time....too much death.

We do all care....meds, dressings etc along with all ADLS, meals etc. It's usually an RN and 3 or 4 LPNs depending on census. We also have a unit secretary and social worker that rock!!!