Is my hospital going to spoil me for other hospitals?

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

I work at a private hospital, specifically on the post-surgical floor. The typical nurse to patient ratio is 3-4:1 and these patients are not high acuity. If they're acuity goes up at all they go to the ICU faster than your head can spin where they have a 1-2:1 ratio. All the nurses there like the ratio a lot but at some other hospitals in my area the ratios are more like 6-8:1.

I wonder if working a low ratio will "spoil" me for working at other hospitals.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Yep. You have it made. You will be more rotten than an old carton of milk sitting on a picnic table in July! Enjoy it. Take the opportunity to learn as much as you can in this wonderful facility. I am glad that you are able to experience what it is really like to TAKE CARE of patients.

Remember and note some of the things that your facility does to incorporate efficiency, because if you ever go to another hospital/facility, you may very well have some insight into how to make positive changes down the road.

[Flo., BSN, RN]

yup. I bet the hospital you are at now has a low turnover rate. I know I wouldn't leave with ratios like that!

[JulVaccRN, BSN]

I also work on a post-surgical floor, but with high acuity. However, where I did clinicals, nurses had the 6-8 pt ratio and i cant imagine what would happen if a pt decompensated like they do on my floor. When I work nights, ihave 5-6 pts, but luckily I work with great people who take over for my other pts when one starts going down the tubes. Try getting a job (if possible) where you work now. Good luck!

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

That's how are ratios are at my hospital, too. I'm afraid if I ever have to move out of area, I won't ever find a job as good as this one!

[BettyBoop01]

Stay there forever!

For the two of you with the great ratios, what state are you in?

Are you union or nonunions? Just curious.

Oh and are you hiring? Sign me up. I had 8-9 patients on my med surg, it was waaaaay tooo many. 1 tech for the entire floor, they were usually too busy to be found if you needed help.

[coolpeach]

I was going to ask the same questions as Betty Boop1

[Caffeine_IV]

Why would you leave?

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

Stay there forever!

For the two of you with the great ratios, what state are you in?

Are you union or nonunions? Just curious.

Oh and are you hiring? Sign me up. I had 8-9 patients on my med surg, it was waaaaay tooo many. 1 tech for the entire floor, they were usually too busy to be found if you needed help.

8-9 patients is just insane! I can't even imagine. I'm in Mass. Non-union. The surrounding hospitals in my area, both union and non-union, have similar ratios. The ratios aren't like this everywhere in MA though. Unfortunately, we have a terrible nursing glut here. Experienced nurses and new grads are having a very hard time getting jobs. There are many posts about it in the MA forum. I read on another thread that we have one of the worst new grad unemployment rates for nurses in the country. Plus, the cost of living is very expensive and we have terrible winters here!

[ReginaPhalange]

I work in Texas, non-union, and when I worked on a med/surg/oncology floor our ratio was 4-6:1. We NEVER exceeded 6 patients. I always heard the more seasoned nurses tell stories of times where they had to care for up to 12 patients at a time. I can't imagine anything like that. Sometimes I thought 6 patients was too many but reading these posts I see that I had it made. Now I'm in PACU where I REALLY have it made!! :yelclap:

[BluegrassRN]

Yup, we've got it made. On the medical floor, our ratios are 3-4 on days, 3-5 on nights. 1-3 techs on the floor on days, 1-2 on nights (depends upon census).

There are places nearby that pay higher, with higher acuity and more interesting aspects, but I've heard that they have much higher ratios.

I'm in the midwest, nonunion, right-to-work states.