low census?

MA Nurse · Dec 5, 2007

We had a low census for 6 months! Now we are too busy! Most NICU's are busy now, from what I've heard. I'm sure you'll get more babies. Are you in danger of losing your job? I hope not.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2007

We're lower than the bursting at the seams craziness we've experienced the last few months, but we're still pretty much full. Being at our theoretical maximum capacity has come to feel like low census up here.

Sweeper933 · Dec 5, 2007

We have had a lower census for the past 4 or 5 months here as well. We usually have between 40-50 babies on our unit (level III), but lately we've had in the mid to low 30's, even as low as the low 20's for awhile. Everytime we seem to get busy, we slow right back down again a week or so later.

HighCensus · Dec 5, 2007

I think our unit has forgotten what low census is. We have had to make major renovations to expand our unit due to our prolonged high census. We were technically a 65 bed unit and I know last weekend we had 82 patients. The second phase of our expansion is I believe opening in Jan. Maybe that will give us some breathing room.

MegNeoNurse · Dec 5, 2007

Yes, last time I worked we were discharging left and right, it was a spurt of

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Dec 5, 2007

We are experiencing high census and have been for a very long time. Can't remember the last time someone was canceled except for maybe some overtime shifts. Our unit was built to be 40 beds and last time I worked we were at 57. And several sick sick kids that are 1:1. And that's saying a lot as in my unit, it takes more than just being on HFOV or dopamine to earn your own nurse.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2007

And that's saying a lot as in my unit, it takes more than just being on HFOV or dopamine to earn your own nurse.

Where are these magical places that do 1:1 for HFOV and dopa??? I want to work there! I go 1:2 for ECMO sometimes! I had 3 kids with an oscillator, a neuro screamer, and a feeder a couple of weeks ago.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2007

We don't have a low census problem so much as an overstaffing problem. Too many nurses!

We have an acuity scale, and if your number gets high enough, it becomes a 1:1. So you can rack up high points for pressors, HFJV/HFOV, meds, etc ..... but if the kid is somewhat stable, it can make for a LONG night!

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Dec 5, 2007

You all can come get some of ours! We have been high for about 5 months now and no end in sight! We are growing some fabulous chronics, have a lot of surgicals and lots of little sick ones, so take your pick LOL We have a 50 bed unit and we are holding steady at 48-56.

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2007

We were very busy over the summer and through the beginning of November. The high census was credited to the 'blizzard babies.' We had 4 sets of 24 week twins and a couple 23 weekers and a couple other 24 weekers. Most of them have gone home, the ones that are left are feeder/growers. Our unit holds 32, we were up to 40 for awhile, now we are down to 17. I was kind of enjoying the normal staffing with our low census but after a day of it I started getting bored with my 2 patient assignment.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Dec 6, 2007

Just got 2 ECMOs running, about 8-10 cardiacs, (2 postop) and around 55 other kids. I have one twin right now, and we don't even have the bedspace to put the two of them near each other. One's in my pod, and the other is 6 pods down through a set of fire doors. There's six kids in our transitional nursery attached to L&D waiting for a unit bed, with two nurses, and a set of triplet preemies on the board. We're "supposed" to be working with something like 33-35 nurses, and we've got 28. The you-know-what is always hitting the fan it seems....maybe it's coming out a hose or something...