Nurse patient ratio

Hellllo Nurse · Dec 18, 2003

No, eight-to-one is not acceptable. I'm so glad you told the NM why you turned down the job. I agree w/ the Aiken study- any more than 4 pts per nurse is too many.

dphrn · Dec 18, 2003

All the floors I have worked on have been six patients on day shift. Night shift started at six but eventually went to seven, and on miserable nights, eight. Four patients sounds ideal, but I am afraid that is not reality. Although it does depend on what type of floor it is.

Once again, why I have chosen not to work on the floor at this time!

Hellllo Nurse · Dec 19, 2003

I don't work in a hospital anymore for the same reason. When I worked med-surg, nocs, we always had 9 pts each, no unit sec'y, no CNAs.

It was pure misery.

This is the real reason for the so-called nursing "shortage."

dphrn · Dec 19, 2003

Originally posted by Hellllo Nurse
I don't work in a hospital anymore for the same reason. When I worked med-surg, nocs, we always had 9 pts each, no unit sec'y, no CNAs.
It was pure misery.

This is the real reason for the so-called nursing "shortage."

Exactly! I always asked nurse patient ratio on interviews and got the typical six patient answer. It was never the case once I started the job.

I have worked at five different hospitals because my husband is military. They were ALL the same. It really is unbelievable how each hospital (all in different states) had the same issues.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2003

Originally posted by dphrn
.... I always asked nurse patient ratio on interviews and got the typical six patient answer. It was never the case once I started the job.

.....

Same here! I think they always say six! A couple of times I got to work to find we really did have only six pts each. We were so happy! BUT... mgmt decided we were "overstaffed" and pulled nurses off of our floor to other floors each time this happened.

It was awful. Never again...No more hospitals for me. I wish that mangers and administrators had a clue.

Well, maybe they do, they just don't give a crap.

unknown99, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2003

:eek:

*8 patients?????? You were so right to turn that down!!! Oncology patients are almost always very ill. At the hospital where I work the ratio is 1 nurse for 6 patients, along with an aide. We almost never have even 6 patients!!!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2003

We have 6:1 ratios for night shift and I think that's o.k. Sometimes the nurses are bored out of their minds, other times overwhelmed. A ratio ain't nothing but a number.

majrn · Dec 19, 2003

I work on a 23 bed Medical-Oncology floor, our ratios are 6-7 to 1. Most generally the max we have is 6. I agree with the fact that it is "just a number" You could have 4 patients that feel like you have 10. Generally 6 is doable depending on acuity and average experience of staff.

gaulkari · Dec 20, 2003

If the nurse manager is telling the whole truth he said five was the max at night he preferes four to one. I appreciate all of you answering me because the clinical nurse spec. was making me feel a bit like it was just that I wasn't up to the "challenge". I know that as a new nurse I am not ready for eight patients especially oncology pts. I kept thinking how could I possible keep track of all the lab resuts, and what if a couple of them needed blood etc, etc....

RainbowLPN · Dec 21, 2003

I must be in the wrong end of the spectrum. I have never worked in a hospital, only in long term facilities. I would love to only have 8 patients. I know my paitients are different, but if they are in a nursing home they obviously need a nurse! I work midnights, and I am in charge of 35 patiets. There are many nights I have known of there only being one nurse in the building. The is a total of 140 patients. Granted their are CNAs and QMA's, but ultimately it is the nurses's resposability. If you think there is a nursing shortage in the hospital it is worse in the nursi8ng homes for the same reasons. I stay because I love my patients and I know someone has to do it.

Marti Ann · Dec 21, 2003

When I was a night staff nurse 20 years ago, I was on the only private floor in the biggest teaching hospital. in Miami, Fl. We had 8 services and did our own VS, mixed our own IV meds by hand, did pre and post op teaching. No CNAs or unit sec.

So what is the ratio now in hospitals?

In Nursing homes the ratio is determined by facitity census and multiplied by 1.0 to obtain minimum total hrs.from the time sheet sum licenses nurses work hours.If you work like the worksheet please email me at [email protected] and I will sent it to you. It is in WORD. I have loads of great stuff.

I am glad I don't do floor nursing anymore but my passion is being an Ombudsman in nursing homes and ALF's.It is so very rewarding.

Marti