nurse to patient ratio orthopaedic floor?

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Hey there!

I work for a Texas post total knee and joint surgical unit. 6years ago the nurse to patient ratio was 1:4 on nights(no cna, no secretary). 1:4 on days with a nurse aid. However, one year ago a new CNO came on board and now it is 1:6 on nights(no cna-no secretary) and 1:6 with an aid on days. The unit has 18 beds, but we're rarely at 18. Mostly its 12 patients and 2 nurses at night.

What is the nurse to patient ratio for any post surgical orthopaedic nurses out there? Also are there any Texas laws that could back us up cause that nursing committee thing is a joke(all they talk about is what we can do to improve customer satisfaction, and when i(cause nobody else speaks up) tell them the nurse to patient ratio is the major problem they tell me theres nothing they can do right now, there in the process of hiring(they've been saying that for a year).

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I have worked in ortho in San Antonio and it was 1:5 day time with 1 aide and secretary and 1:6 at night with one aide no secretary. Also colorado which was the same but more aides (bigger unit though, typically aides would have 12 patients each)

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Specializes in Post Surg.

1:6 with a secretary and aid, we are post surg, not just ortho.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

3 pods of 10 patients.

always the same room numbers.

1 RN 1 LPN and 1 tech for 10 (sometimes the tech has a pod and a half)

Sometimes the LPN has a pod and a half and you get a whole tech and an RN for 10.

I really like not having to roam all over the unit to keep track of patients.

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Florida/Orlando: We are 4/5:1 days with sec and aide 6:1 nights no sec/aide

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Specializes in Psych.

I work medsurg ortho and we have 1 RN, 1 LPN, 1 aide, 1 secretary for up to 12-13 patients. This is the 7a to 7p shift. Crazy, I know!! I'm sure it is breaking all kinds of laws.

Same situation, when anyone says anything they say they are "hiring new nurses" and put the blame on us for our peers calling in sick all the time. The morale sucks, no wonder our "peers" call in sick all the time!

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Specializes in Med Surg Tele-orthopedic, PCU, IMC.

:redbeathe.FLORIDA/DAYTONA- 7p-7a

32 bed unit, we usually have 7 pts, 1 tech and a secretary always! Don't know about days.

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nights 5:1 and an aide charge nurse takes patients

days 5:1 and 2 aides, a charge nurse who take no patients, and a secretary

afternoons 5:1, one aide, a secretary, a charge nurse with no patients

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Specializes in General medicine/geriatrics.

On my floor:

Days 1:4-5, 1-2 aides, unit secretary

Evenings: 1:5(6 on really busy days), 1-2 aides, no secretary

Nights: 1:6, 1 aide

I work evenings and it can get extremely busy if you have 5 totals (knees/hips).

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

The ortho floor at my hospital that I float to sometimes has 1:4 day/evenings and 1:5 at nights (after 2300). They always have a tech, and a sec from 0700-2300. During days charge is out of the numbers. They are rarely staffed below their need.

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

We have 1:5 at the most, with 2 aides til 7pm and one aide overnight. 5 fresh post-ops can definitely keep us running!

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Specializes in Orthopedics, Rehab, LTC.

I work in MN, our ratios are as follows 20 bed unit:

Days: 4:1, HUC and 2 aides

Eves: 4-5:1, HUC and 2 aides

Nocs: 6:1, no HUC, 1-2 aides

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