Mass Nursing homes

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Hi, I am from Rhode Island and was thinking about a part-time job in a nursing home in nearby Massachusetts. In Rhode Island we usually have 30 patients to care for, but have a med tech as well. I know in Massachusetts that you do not use med techs. I was wondering what type of staffing ratios I could expect.

Thanks!

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The nursing home that I work at has 2 nurses for 30 patients during the day shift. One nurse ONLY does meds, the other nurse ONLY does treatments/wound changes. On the evening and night shift, there's only one nurse to 30 patients.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Yes, here in Western MA, most NH have 30 pts. to a cart and that's medications and treatments. A few have 18 to a cart and that is always a little of heaven when I go to one of those. You have some actual time for the patients.

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Wow. 30 patients...meds, treatments and charting for one nurse...yikes! I am not really fond of having med techs, but I guess it is better than being required to do it all for 30 patients. That seems like an awful lot to be responsible for.:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

At my NH, the LTC floors are 18-22:1, for meds, treatments, everything

The short term rehab floor I work on is 8-9:1 for everything.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
At my NH, the LTC floors are 18-22:1, for meds, treatments, everything

The short term rehab floor I work on is 8-9:1 for everything.

The 18-22 seems more doable and the 8-9 would be a dream. I would

actually get to spend quality time with my patients. *sigh With a med pass of 30 that is just not possible.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.
The 18-22 seems more doable and the 8-9 would be a dream. I would

actually get to spend quality time with my patients. *sigh With a med pass of 30 that is just not possible.

As I mentioned, though the floor with the 8-9 ratio is not LTC. It's short term rehab, therefore, more meds, IVs, wound vacs, treatments, new tube feeds etc, because many of the people are either quite ill or may be just a few days post-op when they come to us for rehab.

Even at 8-9 on this floor, I still don't get quality time with my patients. First time I got quality time was last night, because a load of ppl had been discharged d/t the holiday & new admits won't roll in until this weekend/monday, so I only had four patients. If it was 8-9 stable LTC patients, it'd probably be a dream though, lol.

Just wanted to add some clarification.

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On a long term floor, if one is hired full time and has the proper support from the nursing home ( orientation, on site supervisor, and good clinical systems) is is doable to have 30 patients. There medical condition is stable and most of the physical care is done by the CNAs.

Subacute units are like mini hospitals and 9 patients is not easy.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
On a long term floor, if one is hired full time and has the proper support from the nursing home ( orientation, on site supervisor, and good clinical systems) is is doable to have 30 patients. There medical condition is stable and most of the physical care is done by the CNAs.

Subacute units are like mini hospitals and 9 patients is not easy.

30 can be doable and yes CNA's do most physical care. However, in NH's I've been in, there can be 3-4 CNA's to 60 patients with 2 nurses. I don't believe that is safe staffing. I think there should be better ratios for NH's like they are pushing for hospitals.

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I am really surprised. I have had to pass meds for 30 residents when our med tech called out sick and truthfully, it took me most of the day to just do that. With meds, insulin, tube feeding and treatments there was no time left in the day to do anything else. I was under the impression, that in Massachusetts, they would have a better patient ratio.

P.S. I hope you get paid better!

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