How Many Residents Do You Care For On Your Unit?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Naturally, I think I have waaay too many residents to care for :rolleyes: so I'd like to do a quick reality check:

As a charge nurse in a LTC/SNF, how many residents are you responsible for on your unit? What shift do you work, and which state do you work in? (It's OK if you don't want to indicate the state--I am just curious if it varies by state...)

I'll start! ;)

41 residents on 3-11 shift in Hawaii.

How many is too many? Well I'm an RN who works at a NH. I am the only nurse to care for 83 residents. I'm required to pass all the 6am meds, inc doing all the accuchecks-administer insulin. To 83 resident! If It is a good nite I might have 2 CNA's, I have had to work with just one CNA. the residents are sitting in their urine, their stool for > hour. I have to pass 6 am meds to 72 of the 83, I take 28 glucose tests and then give them insulin coverage. Not to mention all the distractions that interfere, all the sick residents, and the ones that you need to send out. I left a good job for this one, I regret that decision ever day. Frankly, this job is not humanly possible,it is defanately not safe and I am afraid of putting my liscense at risk. But the DON/ADON really dont care about us. clearly they know whats going on... What do I do??? Any advice?

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LTC

11-7

62 residents: 1 RPN, 1 CNA

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Specializes in Developmental disabilities, and psych.

I'm a new graduate and I'm working 6:30a-3:00p in new York with 42pt. 1 RN 1lpn (me), and 3 cna's.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.
I'm a new graduate and I'm working 6:30a-3:00p in new York with 42pt. 1 RN 1lpn (me), and 3 cna's.

Are they long term residents? Dementia? Short term rehab? Much depends on how sick the residents are. Three CNAs for 42 seems poor.

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Specializes in LTC.
LTC

11-7

62 residents: 1 RPN, 1 CNA

Thats just ridiculous.

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I think the numbers don't mean much without info on patients acuity. I'll take 60 alert and oriented people who only take 1 pill a day, don't have treatments, and are generally stable and independent, than 20 alcoholics, schizophrenics, narcs, psychos, quadrilplegics, obese who on breathing treatments, PRN narcs q 4h, take pills crushed, on IV and or tube, half diabetics with QID checks and insulins, constantly nauseated, scared and each has their share of ulcers, and that require 2 aides to roll them just to put a patch on them, and with some MRSA sprinkled on some of them.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Alert oriented people who take one pill a day are at home making Brownies.

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Thats just ridiculous.

I agree! We have a float CNA that comes through twice per shift to "help the other CNA". I recently moved to Evenings because it was just too much. Trying to fill out lab reqs and receive meds every night on top of caring for 64 is insane. Dont forget that the other shifts think we dont do anything on nights and usually leave all the Dr's orders and paperwork for us too. Patient acuity is moderate...I'd say maybe 4 are independent and the rest vary from 1 person transfer to full mechanical lift.

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Specializes in ICU.
I think the numbers don't mean much without info on patients acuity. I'll take 60 alert and oriented people who only take 1 pill a day, don't have treatments, and are generally stable and independent, than 20 alcoholics, schizophrenics, narcs, psychos, quadrilplegics, obese who on breathing treatments, PRN narcs q 4h, take pills crushed, on IV and or tube, half diabetics with QID checks and insulins, constantly nauseated, scared and each has their share of ulcers, and that require 2 aides to roll them just to put a patch on them, and with some MRSA sprinkled on some of them.

The above sounds like my pt load. I have 32 residents 1 LPN ( me) 3 cna's. No supervisor, only a ward clerk ( who is splint between 130 residents) until 8pm. So the phones and everything else is on me after they leave.

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Specializes in LTC.
I agree! We have a float CNA that comes through twice per shift to "help the other CNA". I recently moved to Evenings because it was just too much. Trying to fill out lab reqs and receive meds every night on top of caring for 64 is insane. Dont forget that the other shifts think we dont do anything on nights and usually leave all the Dr's orders and paperwork for us too. Patient acuity is moderate...I'd say maybe 4 are independent and the rest vary from 1 person transfer to full mechanical lift.

Evenings is worse than 11-7 in my opinion.

I once came in on 11-7 with a list from the day-shift of things to do. I threw it in the trash. I know hell would be raised if I left them a list of things to do.

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6-2 shift, 34 residents, 1 LPN, 1 medication aide, 3 CNAs- usually have about 7-8 SNF and the rest LTC..its still way to much! Keeping residents, families and staff satisfied is way too much for one person to do!

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Specializes in rehab.

I'm a charge nurse on my unit. We can run at the most with 30 residents. That's with 2 med nurses and 5 aides. So it isn't too bad. Though I myself is in charge of 30 residents.

That's the 3-11 shift in Arizona.

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