nurse patient ratio on nites

RN-PA, RN · Nov 20, 2003

What type of unit are you working on? On our med-surg unit, Night Shift nurses have 6-8 patients. I haven't heard them complain in a while about their ratio since they had up to 10-12 patients apiece at one point when we were having staffing problems at night. I know acuity is a problem, but do you have nurses' aides to help? Our night shift usually has 2 aides for potentially 30 patients.

Neon8 · Nov 21, 2003

On the telemetry unit where I work, we RNs get 7 patients with either a CNA or an LVN on the team. Beginning in January, it will be only five patients, but there is talk that it will be either primary care, or with LVNs and CNAs having been laid off having only one CNA per 12 patients. I t may be a lot worse than it is now. We will see.

bellehill, RN · Nov 21, 2003

The hospital I am at now has a ratio of 8-9 pts per RN with one CNA/secretary for 30-35 pts. It is an oncology floor. Sometimes it is okay and sometimes it isn't. One good thing is that we start with 5-6 pts and pick-up the rest at 2300 when the earlier shift leaves. This way we don't get them all at once.

Kim44 · Nov 21, 2003

I work oncology. We also staff a 6 bed palliative unit. We are 3 RN's for night shift, no clerk, no RPN's, just us. It is VERY unsafe. We also have 2 over-census beds for "emergencies". Those beds are NEVER empty..... :rolleyes:

niteshiftnurse · Nov 21, 2003

I work med/surg with renal pts , oncology and anything else they send to the floor. no aid for upto 18 pts 2 nurses and a charge.....by the way,the charge nurse doesn't take patients...their decision according to the director. floor holds 30 patients. 19-20 pts 1 aid 3 nurses, ect

jschut, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2003

I work LTC, where my ratio is anywhere from 1:32-64, depending if the other nurse shows up or not....

That's me and "maybe" 1-2 CNA's.

mattsmom81 · Nov 21, 2003

In ICU our assignment is generally equal to day shift...one nurse to 2 or 3 patients. It is not unusual for me to come in at shift change and have to make arrangements to move both patients to stepdown so I can admit 2 new patients, stabilizing them etc, only to move one of THOSE out by shift's ends to open up beds for more critical patients. Some nights I feel more like an ER nurse than an ICU nurse...LOL!:roll

panda_181 · Nov 21, 2003

Medicine has 6-7 patients per nurse (RN or LPN) - 30 patient unit

Surgery has usually 5 (RN or LPN) - 20 patient unit

Continuting Care has 2 NAs and 1 RN on an 8 hour night - 30 resident unit, sometimes a respite patient.

Amanda :)

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 22, 2003

I work medical telemetry and it's 6:1. The other med-surg units in the hospital go 8:1 and on rare occasions have to go up to 9:1 if admissions come.

I think six or seven is a good ratio. 8 is too much. I used to work med-surg trauma and we went 9:1 and 10:1 on a daily basis.

Mike RGN · Nov 22, 2003

In the Uk on nights

14 per RGN with 1 Unqualified per unit on an Acute Medical ward

occasionally 1 per 28 with 2 unqualified (forget the breaks)

AussieAIN · Nov 23, 2003

I work in a 25 bed Nursing Home. On night shift we have 1 RN and 1 nursing assistant