Nurse/patient mandated ratios- need feedback!

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Hello Cali nurses,

I am doing a paper in nursing school about mandated nurse patient ratios and I need a little feedback.

I would like to know about your experiences: good or bad!

Do you feel you are able to care for your patients more safely?

Have other cutbacks been initiated since the mandated nurse patient ratios (such as less ancillary staff, etc...)

What were your ratios like before the mandate?

Any other info you can share will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Kris

[travelinjones]

I'm a traveler, and I'm totally enjoying the ratios! I love California!

The last facility I worked at in Florida, we had as many as 7 patients on a PCU floor, and they did not staff to acuity. The PCT's had no less than 13, but often as many as 18. Life was hard.

I was in the middle of my assignment here in CA when the ratios went from 5 to 4, and the assignments are based on acuity. The PCT's had 7 patients, and went up to 10. The change was hardest on them, adjusting their time management to the higher patient load, and honestly, it took a little time for the nurses to adjust to the increased needs of the PCTs. This facility also has a monitor tech, HUC, free charge nurse, and a resource nurse during the day. At night the HUC is also the monitor tech. They have 24 hour phlebotomists and respiratory.

I've noticed more thorough reports since the change in ratio, which indicates the nurses are able to provide better care. One thing to note, though...it doesn't matter if you have 7 or 4 patients, if one goes bad.

I just accepted an assignment at another CA facility, and the manager was honest when she said they were having difficulty adjusting to the new ratios, and that is why they got the ok to bring in more travelers. They also increased the patient load for the PCTs but have not eliminated them. They have not cut back on other ancillary either.

So, at two California facilities, they have minimally reduced ancillary staff, but they have not gone to primary nursing, and patient care seems to have improved. Hope this helps your research.

[Nancy2]

I used to work for a registry in California. about a year after the ratios went into effect 1:5 for med/surg. I was assigned 7 trach patients with G tubes. The nice thing was that none of my patients were on vents (because I was registry) They were really scrambling for RNs that day. You can staff for ratios, but when you get sick calls and can't find anyone to come in...the patients still need to be cared for! We suck it up and do the best we can just like we always have. "mandated" means nothing. There is no punitive action taken for being out of compliance.

I have been a nurse for 24 years and in my experience, some days are hard and some days are not s hard. Nursing is just that way. There is no magic number and "at all times" is unrealistic in the living world of healthacare! JMO

Good luck with your paper!