ICU ratios

[clarkheart]

I work in a 12 bed CVICU in California. Our director has begun to talk about increasing our ratio to 3:1 in our unit if we have too many floor patients awaiting transfer out to med/surg. I thought Title 22 and AB 394 in California prohibited increasing the ratio in a critical care unit regardless of classification of patient. I thought that as long as the patient was "between the walls" of the unit the ratio could not be changed. I would appreciate any thoughts or comments please. Thank you.

[assidere]

Not familiar with Cali law, but I would agree that while the patient is still on your unit, the standard rules and regulations should apply. If its too troubling for you and you can find the actualt title/article of law, then I would bring to the attention of your manager...

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Call your licensing authority and ask.

[Chisca, RN]

How about measuring the acuity of the patients and have a discussion based on how much nursing care the patients require. Relying on absolute ratios of 2:1 could still leave you short staffed.

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

ICU ratio's at my hospital are anything that is required.....1:2, 1:3, 1:4

[klari]

That would be again base from your hospital policies.Let say you have i icu patient and 2 telemetry on your team which anytime you might transfer the two and that will bring you down to 2 or 1 pt.But the problem there is you will take again the next hit for admission, that's sucks.Anyway that's what everybody says another day another dollar.