Medical Patientload

[RockiNbarbi]

This is for all those that work on Medical Departments. What is your RN/patient ratio for dayshifts and nightshifts? What is the total number of beds in your unit?

At my place of employment, we have 40 beds on the Med floor. The assignment is 10 patients to 1 RN and 1 RPN care team during dayshifts. Nights are 10 patients to 1 RN. We have been trying to add another med cart to the floor to decrease the load to 8 patients per RN. We feel unsafe - things are just too nuts and staff is quitting like crazy.

Thanks for your input.

[sjoe]

"We feel unsafe"

Well, that is only because it IS unsafe. You might want to read through the numerous threads on staffing ratios on the "general nursing discussion" forum that have been active the past couple of months. Particularly the agreement here in California that was the result of a very long and intense battle with facilities like yours.

[plumrn, BSN, RN]

It's just a matter of time before someone loses their life or becomes seriously injured due to poor staffing such as that. And on top of that, some poor nurse will lose their license and have a nightmare to dream, and re-dream the rest of their life.

[princess_64]

everywhere there is a staff shortage. most med-surg floors in my area have at least 7-8 patients on day shift and 10-12 patients on night shift. this is pr nurse, be lpn or rn. also in the state of ms, rn's have to asses patients that are cared for by lpn's at least once a shift,do their iv therepy,etc. this gives rn's 14-20 patients each shift. the nursing shortage is not being taken seriously here, so nurses are treated as if they can be found a dime a dozen. this ends up hurting the patients and the nurses who put their very livelyhood on the line every time they walk into the door of a hospital. scary, huh! where do we go from here? we have to make a living, and i love nursing. somedays, i'm just not sure how much it's worth it!