...moving to melbourne :)

Hi Sarah

I'm flying out to Melbourne from the UK on 28/01/09 to start a job with a private healthcare company. I can't wait to get to Melbourne. Good luck with your new job.

Simon

Thanks :-) all the best with yours too! we get there 19th Jan :):)

2nd - i've heard that it is part of the law in Victoria that a RN can't have more than 4 patients at any one time fact or fiction?

Hi Sarah - welcome (in anticipation) to Melbourne, I hope you enjoy it here.

The actual ratio varies depending on what kind of ward and in what acuity of hospital or department you work in - ICU has a 1:1 ratio for intubated patients, small country hospitals have a 1:7 ratio or 1:8 ratio depending on the shift.

On general wards at a major tertiary hospital like the Royal Melbourne there must be a minimum of one nurse for every four patients on AM and PM shifts, plus an in-charge, and one nurse for every eight patients overnight. That does not necessarily mean you'll have no more than four patients, however, as the wards can divide patients according to acuity rather than just numbers - so you could have six self-caring patients while another RN has two really heavy, sick patients.

Hope that helps :)

Thanks heaps, i get it now :-) Can't wait to get over there!!!