How much is too much?

[Sparrow23]

So, I am a complete newbie nurse which is probably a big part of the problem I am having, but I just feel like the nurse-patient ratio on my floor lately has been ridiculous. I work nights on a med-surg floor (but we also get oncology and telemetry patients) and the past few weeks each nurse has had 6-8 pts, with new admits, and no aide. Sometimes we have one aide. The charting is long and redundant too, so I feel like I am spending only a few minutes with each pt per shift! So, my question, is this normal?? I hate complaining, but I also hate feeling like I cannot give my pts the care they deserve.

What units are you guys on and what is your typical staffing?

[Propranolol]

Typically get 5-6 patients with a new admit or transfer from tele. have had 7 patients with transfers lately. we have one aide, possibly two. i usually have 2 complete care patients. we have good aides that have great time management skills. for the past three weeks, i had 3 patients at start of shift. it felt like a gift. good luck. you'll get use to it, unfortunately.

[emt2rn82]

6-8 patients isn't bad for night shift on med-surg, the hospital where i came from staffs one nurse 8-10 patients on nights. the charting is very redundant. Hang in there. You'll be able to streamline better and able to spend more time with the patients the longer your around. The charting will get quicker. Good luck

[Crux1024]

Im on a cardiac tele floor, and our patients max @ 5 for nights, on rare occasion i get 6 on nights and usually 4 pts on days. Med surg nurses get 6-8 patients in my facility on nights.

It gets easier when your time management skills are better developed. Dont give up yet. Go with the flow, bend when you have to and concentrate on your duties.

[pers]

On nights our telemetry unit will have up to 8 patients per nurse without a charge nurse or secretary. Dayshift is usually 6 patients per nurse with a charge nurse and secretary but they can have up to 8 patients on occassion. If we are full, days and nights get 2 aides. If we have less than 23 patients, nights gets 1 aide. At fewer than 17, days gets 1 aide.

It's a lot and by far the biggest complaint about our unit, particularly for nightshift as they used to rarely have more than 6 patients each. It's one of the most frequent reasons people cite for leaving and turnover is pretty high.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

That is not a safe ratio especially if you are a new grad and you also have tele patients. And no CNA's! Absolutely not. It is not safe. I would not work in that environment and I have been a nurse for 32 years.