LTC Nurse to resident ratio

heronurse · Mar 13, 2016

It' realistic but you got no choice. I'm working in ltc too and work is too demanding.

roser13, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2016

Too many variables to answer that question.

And does it really matter what we think? The ratios are what they are. You either take the job or you don't.

When the "don'ts" outweigh the "do's" perhaps things will change.

NOADLS · Mar 14, 2016

What you've described is on the harder end of a LTC nurse's workload. I am interested to know how many of those diabetic patients are on insulin and what their testing frequencies are.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2016

It depends...workloads like that have been a piece of cake for me when I am paired with a medication aide to pass pills to everyone. However, 30 residents without a medication aide left me running.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2016

I had to leave LTC because the unsafe staffing. The last one I worked I had nights where I had 19-20 patients, several g-tubes, 2 traches needing regular suctioning, diabetics, wanderers, PRN pain meds out the wazoo, dressing changes, breathing treatments, and no medication techs. Pushing a medication cart for 12 hours and trying to keep up with the assessments, medications (half of which need to be crushed and put in tube or pudding) and charting was too much. Good care is simply impossible under these circumstances. I feel for you.

Emmienme · Mar 14, 2016

thanx for the input. Sorry if I was vague. Most of the diabetics need AC and HS fingersticks. of course, the g-tubes need all the meds and flushes, etc. I am running, yes but primary concern is something important is going to get missed, but sounds like this is pretty much the norm and I just need to deal.

blessedmomma247 · Mar 16, 2016

Its the norm.. The key is having a good solid routine and stick to it. Create a cheat sheet to help remind you. Do you have a laptop on your cart? I use mine to set reminders to help. It takes a while to get a good routine set....and you will change it a lot before you get it right. Good luck!!

djh123 · Mar 22, 2016

It's not good, but it's not any worse than the busier (but most of ours are) units where I work. I rarely have IV's, and if I do, they're usually only dial-a-flow, not an actual electronic IV pump. But whatever, yeah, all of the rest of it is crazy but not very unusual. Oh, but I hope you're not doing a med pass as well. That's what made it a lot more difficult for me to get everything done on time - but seeing the OP in another thread asking about passing meds to 45 people makes me cringe... how can you get any *nursing* done with that many? Of course, our companies care more about the bottom line than us being spread too thin.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 22, 2016

I have friends who worked in SNFs. I think they had 20+ to 30+ pts who needed skilled care-such as g tubes, etc.

As for me, I worked non medical LTC, so no tubes or IVs or conplex tx.

I had 40+ to 50+ pts to pass multiple PO meds, a few diabetics and sometimes a few with tx orders.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Mar 23, 2016

Sadly this sounds about normal. I have 30 residents. Three G/J tubes, thirteen

diabetics of which nine are qid blood glucose checks with scheduled insulin, sliding scale or both. Add in wound treatments for three more, bladder scans for a few and the large med passes and it gets kind of crazy. Of course you can't forget the charting too. Oddly enough it is actually pretty manageable with the right CNA's working with me, if I have a less than stellar crew though it truly sucks.

MsPiggy · Mar 24, 2016

So true! Good CENA's are heaven sent for sure!! I have been fortunate to really work with excellent caregivers.