Variable staffing based on patient acuity & census in ICU

Specialties MICU

Published

Hi Everyone...kinda new here on allnurses... just hoping to gain some insight as to how you all staff your units. We have had unusual fluctuations in both census and acuity and are either overstaffed for low census (and RNs get pulled or called off) or understaffed for high census (to prevent getting pulled or called off). What are some strategies your unit uses to account for this?

Thanks for your input!

-Lauren

RN, BSN, BS - MICU Staff RN, 2 1/2 years

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Vents are 1:1 in Australia. I work in a 16 bedded unit and we staff for 16 beds, plus in charge and access/float nurse. Non-vented patients can be paired (and we will often move them to be next to each other so they can be paired) if the unit is busy (e.g. there are a large number of vented patients and admissions expected). We very rarely have more than two patients (I've not seen it) and vents are always 1:1.
Just a regular old vented patient..1:1....wow....tat's amazing.
Specializes in CCU, CVICU, Cath Lab, MICU, Endoscopy..
Vents are 1:1 in Australia. I work in a 16 bedded unit and we staff for 16 beds plus in charge and access/float nurse. Non-vented patients can be paired (and we will often move them to be next to each other so they can be paired) if the unit is busy (e.g. there are a large number of vented patients and admissions expected). We very rarely have more than two patients (I've not seen it) and vents are always 1:1.[/quote']

Wao....just curious are they sedated?

Not always, it depends. Most of our kids get some degree of sedation (we typically start with infusions of morph + midaz and work from there, e.g. lose the midaz and add precedex, give regular vallergen etc) because they're children - and how do you get a three year old to not pull the tube as soon as you blink? We don't walk away from our vented patients, or leave them out of eye shot.

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