LVN to patient ratio California

[nurseguy213, LVN]

I've been trying to look this up and all I get are numbers like 2.4 hours per patient. So here's the question. In a nursing home, short-term rehab (physical therapy), how many patients can an LVN have for med pass? I've seen an average of 25 max 30, with CNAs average of 10. These are 8 hour shifts. I can't seem to get my computer charting done, yes I finish my emar but all the other charting, I'm stuck at work at least an hour more and end up coming in my own time for an hour or 2 to finish if I can't. I've seen the trend, when I have a reasonable amount of patients like 20, I finish everything on time and I'm not rushing my med pass, ADLs or when patients require more time. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I don't think lazy or slow, I've won emplyee of the month and year regularly, that I give my gift cards to my hard working CNAs. Is my ratio too high?

[shiftingtides]

Just tossing out there that you shouldn't be doing any charting on your own time. Not only is that completely unfair to you, it could have legal implications for your employer if any of that charting came up if they were sued for whatever reason.

As for your ratios, I guess it depends on your patient mix and what other duties you may have. I generally have only 14 residents (a mix of rehab and LTC), but also only one CNA. We have to help feed residents during all meals (no dietary aides/restorative aids - and only a few residents don't require full assistance or nearly so). We also assist the CNAs with all two-person transfers and hoyers (which is nearly 100% of our residents), and when they need help with changing a resident and such (since there is only one CNA and one nurse per hall).

I still rarely get out exactly on time, but I am getting closer most days. Since we don't have float/charge nurses and I'm running all day doing meds/treatments/wound care/etc., I usually end up with most of my assessments to do at the end of the day. (So. Many. Things. To. Assess.)

But I'm only a few months in. I know I will continue to become more efficient. And despite (or maybe because of!) the craziness of it all, I'm really enjoying the heck out of my first nursing job.

P.S. Point being, give it some time and you'll get the hang of it (especially if you're a new nurse or new to this type of nursing). And please don't work off the clock.

[LPN Retired, LPN]

Many years ago,I worked in a little LTC home, in the LA area, and I had, I think, about 40-45 people to pass meds to. But the med pass didn't seem,to,be real heavy.,I managed it, and worked there couple of years, until,we moved again. I really liked that little home. It was nice. That was way back in the late 1970's. Oh, I was there when we heard Elvis had died and that was in 1977, wasn't it, so I may have been there closer to 3 years.