iabp

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Hello. I was wondering what the nurse patient ratio was for iabp's in other units. I work in a 16 bed ICU/CCU unit. Until recently it was 1:1. Most of the times the balloon pumps go to CVICU, but this weekend CVI was closed and the unit I work in got 2. As I said until recently it was 1:1, but this weekend mgmt said it was only 1:1 for the first few hours, then it could be 2:1. Our hospital, previously a not for profit, was just recently bought out by a for profit hospital chain. Also, where can I find something from the state board of nursing about standards of practice on specific situations such as this. I don't want to put my nursing license or the patient's life on the line.

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Specializes in CVICU, Education Dept., FNP Student.

I think it depends on how stable the patient is. You can have patients with IABP's that are on both ends of the spectrum. Personally, I have taken care of a stable IABP patient along with another patient. And there are other times when I have taken care of a really sick IABP patient that had many other things going on.

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IABP 1:1 I just took care of a pt. on a IABP the other day. After my shift they made that pt. 2:1 At our facility staffing is flexible when justified. Think about it, if your pt is confused, noncompliant, or just out of it while you are in another pts room, that could be very bad if the ballon migrates out of position.

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Specializes in cardiac intensive care.

I depends on how the pt is. If he has IABP, vent, cvvhd etc he is singled. If the pt is a stable IABP then 2:1. It depends on the stability of the pt for assignments in our unit.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Psych, Transport.

I work in a 32 bed CV Recovery/CVICU. Our IABP patient are typically part of a 2 patient assignment. Since we are the only unit in the hospital that cares for the IABP, we usually have 2-3 in the unit. Just a few weeks ago both of my patients had IABPs. Whether or not they are one on one ia all relative. It has been a long time since I just had one patient due to staffing issues and the inability to compensate for the nights we are short by possibly overstaffing others. As others has stated, it all the depends on the patient.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Our IABP patients are always 1:1, no matter how stable they are. Another reason to love where I work.

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Specializes in Clinical Educator - Critical Care.

Always 1:1 - no exceptions.

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Ours are typically 1:1 DOS depending on staffing. Our hearts are also typically 1:1 until extubated, yet I've double admitted 2 stable ones 30 mins apart. A lot of it depends on the patients.

Pre-op ballons really shouldn't be singled just because its a ballon. Stable ballons can be paired easily. A little judgement is all thats needed. A pt on a RVAD, IABP, CVVH, and 8 drips and q hour ABGS should be singled, but not necessarily a stable one.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

twenty bed icu-all kinds. only 1:1 pts are crrt. other pts will be singled based on need. I have never seen one of our balloon pumps singled in four years except twice.

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Specializes in CCU, MICU, SICU, TELE, MED/SURG.

How would one go to get training/license for IABP? I always thought they had to be 1:1. I am not employed (curretly) but I would like to learn stuff while I'm out. Suggestions?

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

wE HAVE CLINICAL EDUCATORS IN OUR UNIT THAT ARRANGE IT, AND A REP FROM THE TYPE OF IABP WE USE COMES OUT AND TEACHES PART OF IT AS WELL AS ONE OF OUR PERFUSIONISTS.

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Specializes in ICU/CVICU.

just like most things in real critical care, it depends on the situation. could be 1:1 if unstable, or 1:2, I would not do more than that

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