Nurse Patient Ratio

GoVolsRN · Sep 10, 2014

I am a new graduate in Tennessee on a medsurge floor. 7 patients is the max, but most of the time RNs will have 5 or 6. This was one of the questions I asked the hiring manager in my interview because I think it is a very important aspect of our nursing care. Considering I am a new grad, they are being very patient with me with picking up my own patients and not rushing me to get to the max of 7.. which is respectable! As a student nurse, I worked at a hospital where the RNs would have up to 13 patients if they had an LPN working with them that day.. and those RNs despised this because you are solely there to do the charting and call the doctors.. there's no time for true patient care when you have 13 of them!!

Good luck in your last semester.. it will fly by!

Bedside_Life RN · Sep 10, 2014

OMG, where do I begin.... I will not say the state or facilities but I have worked as a nurse at two very large hospitals, both nationally ranked, magnet facilities on the east coast, one of which is internationally recognized, as well as being one of the top in the nation. My experiences with these two hospitals have been very different and neither position reflects the facility as a "whole".

After graduating nursing school, I accepted a job offer on a med/surg-tele. Unit. Needless to say I was on top of the world to have what I thought would be such a great opportunity to expand upon my knowledge and technique of nursing skills. I was told that "if you can work here, you can make it anywhere; you will learn so much". Exciting right?

So I took the job regardless of the pay, to gain that ever so sought after experience of having a med/surg background. I knew I had to be ready for anything, any diagnosis, practice the most recent Ebr, and become the super nurse for my patients. What I actually got was a shortened orientation period by a nurse with lots of experience although they had only been working on that unit for less than 6 months. I took seven patients the very first day, with the understanding that I would have a lead nurse to help and a CNA to aide in anything within their scope.

We'll the CNA's stayed completely hosed and the lead nurses were hit or miss. Some struggled to keep up even with us working together and the patient acuity for every nurses' assignment only increased, ascom phones rang non-stop, providers were never the same and orders for me to write incorporate and evaluate came in waves. Patient's had a laundry list of comorbidities followed by an even more demanding medication list (which never were scheduled at a time to avoid contraindications) so once again my responsibility to call pharmacy to straighten out administration times. Not enough sitters for combative or confused patients and short cuts were taken to meet the priority of needs for those most acute. The ones that we're not total assist were taken better care of (or at least documented as this). F.Y.I dont trust anyone until proven other wise. Blood transfusions, PCA's, complex dressing changes, restraint assessments, trach. Care (because respiratory cannot always make it) and we take everyone (remember gen/surg), peg tubes with crushed meds, mechanically ventilated patients, and you can't forget assessments and plan of care and chart reviews, discharges, tele strip interpretations, rapid response due to lack of time spent in the room, and new admission history and assessments. I could go on and on.

well come to find out, this unit had been drowning for quite some time. New nurses training new nurses and 12 hour shifts turned into 16 hour shifts so you could get a good enough history and report in hopes that someone wasnt injured or worse on your shift.

Within in less than a year I was burnt out, depressed and found self taking on extra shifts just to make sure the patients got the minimum.

Looking back, I learned a tremendous amount of time management and focused assessment skills. I stayed true to the nurse I was trained to be and advocated for the patients until the day I left.

I established a rapport and connection with some of these patients that changed the way I live my own life. I do not have any regrets or qualms with how I took care of y patients or stood by their side. The only thing I wish, is that I had time to do more... Because that is what they deserved. So seven, ten, fourteen patient load.... You will be the nurses that you accept to be. It will be a trialling but rewarding ride, but one that you will always reflect upon.

If I had time I would add the nurses pledge but best of luck in your future as a nurse and I welcome all of you into our profession.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Sep 10, 2014

Nurse/pt ratio is a much discussed and debated topic. Unfortunately the trend is for high ratio of pt to nurse combined with high acuity.

Now, personal background for your project. I am in northern WI. I work in a skilled nursing facility so if you are only looking for hospital numbers it won't be much help. I am on a short term rehab unit, level of acuity is quite high. When my unit is full it's me [the RN] and three CNA's to 28 pts [residents as they are referred in the longer stay setting]. There is also therapy staff, PT/OT/ST that can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help for my job. I have 15+ years experience in this field. The work load is difficult but doable for a nurse familiar with this setting, but it is brutal to new nurses and even experienced nurses without any LTC background.

Good luck and congrats on your impending graduation!

lolaimation · Sep 29, 2014

hank you all for your responses. This semester is a lot of work as i'm sure you all will understand but its nice to see other nurses out there who are willing to help and support those of us that may be joining them shortly. Its amazing how the profession is so demanding and unfortunately there seem to be people in this field for the wrong reason and students unable to make it through the nursing programs to come out and help. I am not sure of a solution for nurse patient ratio and how to fix the problem but its something that i have been spending a lot o time thinking about lately because of this project and a topic that seems to be lacking on the research on how to fix the problems associated with large patient ratios. My program has had me caring for 2-3 patients at a time but i can not imagine my first day with 7!!!! Thank you again for your input and best of luck in your careers.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2014

I'm in the Midwest and work in a SICU. Generally our nurse-to-pt ratio is 1:2. They are 1:1 if on CRRT, are very unstable, or post-op hearts for the first 12 hours. They are 2:1 if on ECMO.

I don't know about the floors at my hospital, but the intermediate care units' ratios are 1:3. Any pt on a vent in the PICU is 1:1.

What are you looking for as far as opinions on the matter? Do you mean what do we think of the state of affairs of ratios in general? What are our opinions on mandated ratios, such as in CA?

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Sep 29, 2014

hank you all for your responses. This semester is a lot of work as i'm sure you all will understand but its nice to see other nurses out there who are willing to help and support those of us that may be joining them shortly. Its amazing how the profession is so demanding and unfortunately there seem to be people in this field for the wrong reason and students unable to make it through the nursing programs to come out and help. I am not sure of a solution for nurse patient ratio and how to fix the problem but its something that i have been spending a lot o time thinking about lately because of this project and a topic that seems to be lacking on the research on how to fix the problems associated with large patient ratios. My program has had me caring for 2-3 patients at a time but i can not imagine my first day with 7!!!! Thank you again for your input and best of luck in your careers.

"unfortunately there seem to be people in this field for the wrong reason ".

Please expound.

"a topic that seems to be lacking on the research on how to fix the problems"

Plenty of research has been done. More nurses at the bedside saves lives.. and leads to better outcomes.

Health care is now big business.. the business model promotes profit for the shareholders.. over human life.

NurseKatie08, MSN · Oct 1, 2014

I'm in New England on a Transplant Med Surg floor...we have 3-5 patients between 7a-11p and 6 from 11-7a

allnurses Guide · Oct 1, 2014

An observational study of nurse staffing ratios and hospital readmission among children admitted for common conditions

BMJ Quality and Safety in Healthcare online May 2013

Adding just one child to a hospital's average staffing ratio increased the likelihood of a medical pediatric patient's readmission within 30 days by 11%, while the odds of readmission for surgical pediatric patients rose by nearly 50%.

Nurse Staffing and NICU Infection Rates

JAMA Pediatrics: Published online March 18, 2013

There are substantial shortfalls in nurse staffing in US neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) relative to national guidelines. These are associated with higher rates of nosocomial infections among infants with very low birth weights.

Hospital Nursing and 30-Day Readmissions Among Medicare Patients With Heart Failure, Acute Myocardial Infarction, and Pneumonia

Medical Care: January 2013

Improving nurses' work environments and staffing may be effective interventions for preventing readmissions. Each additional patient per nurse was associated with the risk of within 30 days of readmission for heart failure (7%), myocardial infarction (9%), and pneumonia (6%). "In all scenarios, the probability of patient readmission was reduced when nurse workloads were lower and nurse work environments were better."

State-Mandated Nurse Staffing Levels Lead to Lower Patient Mortality and Higher Nurse Satisfaction

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, September 26, 2012

The California safe staffing law has increased nurse staffing levels and created more reasonable workloads for nurses in California hospitals, leading to fewer patient deaths and higher levels of job satisfaction than in other states without mandated staffing ratios. Despite initial concerns from opponents, the skill mix of nurses used by California hospitals has not declined since implementation of the mandated ratios.

Nurse Staffing and Inpatient Hospital Mortality

New England Journal of Medicine, March 17, 2011

"Studies involving RN staffing have shown that when the nursing workload is high, nurses' surveillance of patients is impaired, and the risk of adverse events increases." "... We found that the risk of death increased with increasing exposure to shifts in which RN hours were 8 hours or more below target staffing levels or there was high turnover. We estimate that the risk of death increased by 2% for each below-target shift and 4% for each high-turnover shift to which a patient was exposed."

Implications of the California Nurse Staffing Mandate for Other States

Health Services Research, August 2010

The researchers surveyed 22,336 RNs in California and two comparable states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with striking results, including: if they matched California state-mandated ratios in medical and surgical units, New Jersey hospitals would have 13.9 percent fewer patient deaths and Pennsylvania 10.6 percent fewer deaths. "Because all hospitalized patients are likely to benefit from improved nurse staffing, not just general surgery patients, the potential number of lives that could be saved by improving nurse staffing in hospitals nationally is likely to be many thousands a year," according to Linda Aiken, the study's lead author. California RNs report having significantly more time to spend with patients, and their hospitals are far more likely to have enough RNs on staff to provide quality patient care. Fewer California RNs say their workload caused them to miss changes in patient conditions than New Jersey or Pennsylvania RNs

Overcrowding and Understaffing in Modern Health-care Systems: Key Determinants in Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Transmission

Lancet Infectious Disease, July 2008

This study finds that understaffing of nurses is a key factor in the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the most dangerous type of hospital-acquired infection. The authors note that common attempts to prevent or contain MRSA and other types of infections such as requirements for regular and repeated hand washing by nurses are compromised when nursing staff are overburdened with too many patients.

Survival From In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest During Nights and Weekends

JAMA, February 20, 2008

A national study on the rate of death from cardiac arrest in hospitals found that the risk of death from cardiac arrest in the hospital is nearly 20 percent higher on the night shift. The authors highlight understaffing during the night shift as a potential explanation for the death rate. "Most hospitals decrease their inpatient unit nurse-patient ratios at night... Lower nurse-patient ratios have been associated with an increased risk of shock and cardiac arrest," the authors stated.

Staffing Level: a Determinant of Late-Onset Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Critical Care, July 19, 2007

Understaffing of registered nurses in hospital intensive care units increases the risk of serious infections for patients; specifically late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia, a preventable and potential deadly complication that can add thousands of dollars to the cost of care for hospital patients. Curtailing nurse staffing levels can lead to suboptimal care, which can raise costs far above the expense of employing more nurses

Nurse Working Conditions and Patient Safety Outcomes

Medical Care,Journal of the American Public Health Association, June 2007

A review of outcomes for more than 15,000 patients in 51 U.S. hospital ICUs showed that those with higher nurse staffing levels had a lower incidence of infections, such as central line associated bloodstream infections, a common cause of death in intensive care settings. The study found that patients cared for in hospitals with higher staffing levels were 68 percent less likely to acquire an infection. Other measures such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and skin ulcers were also reduced in units with high staffing levels. Patients were also less likely to die within 30 days in these higher-staffed units.

Hospital Nurse Staffing and Quality of Patient Care

Evidence Report/Technology Assessment for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, May 2007

A comprehensive analysis of all the scientific evidence linking RN staffing to patient care outcomes found consistent evidence that an increase in RN-to-patient ratios was associated with a reduction in hospital-related mortality, failure to rescue, and other nurse sensitive outcomes, as well as reduced length of stay.

Quality of Care for the Treatment of Acute Medical Conditions in U.S. Hospitals

Archives of Internal Medicine, Dec 2006

A national study of the quality of care for patients hospitalized for heart attacks, congestive heart failure and pneumonia found that patients are more likely to receive high quality care in hospitals with higher registered nurse staffing ratios.

Longitudinal Analysis of Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes - More About Failure to Rescue

Journal of Nursing Administration, Jan. 2006

Increasing RN staffing increased patient satisfaction with pain management and physical care; while having more non-RN care "is related to decreased ability to rescue patients from medication errors."

Correlation Between Annual Volume of Cystectomy, Professional Staffing, and Outcomes - A Statewide, Population-Based Study

Cancer, Sept. 2005

Patients undergoing common types of cancer surgery are safer in hospitals with higher RN-to-patient ratios. High RN-to-patient ratios were found to reduce the mortality rate by greater than 50% and smaller community hospitals that implement high RN ratios can provide a level of safety and quality of care for cancer patients on a par with much larger urban medical centers that specialize in performing similar types of surgery.

Is More Better? The Relationship Between Nurse Staffing and the Quality of Nursing Care in Hospital

Medical Care, February 2004

Survey of 8,000 RNs in Pennsylvania hospitals found workload and understaffing contributed to medical errors, patient falls and a number of important nursing tasks left undone at the end of every shift.

The Effects of Nurse Staffing on Adverse Events, Morbidity, Mortality, and Medical Costs

Nursing Research, March/April 2003

Increasing nurse staffing by just one hour per patient day resulted in a 9% reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia. The cost of treating hospital-acquired pneumonia was up to $28,000 per patient. Patients who had pneumonia, wound infection or sepsis had a greater probability of death during hospitalization.

Hospital Nurse Staffing and Patient Mortality, Nurse Burnout, and Job Dissatisfaction

Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 22, 2002

For each additional patient beyond four assigned to an RN, the risk of death increases by 7% for all patients. "The effects imply that, all else being equal, substantial decreases in mortality rates could result from increasing registered nurse staffing."

Strengthening Hospital Nursing

Health Affairs, Sept./Oct. 2002

"The implications of doing nothing to improve nurse staffing levels in many low-staffed hospitals are that a large number of patients will suffer avoidable adverse outcomes and hospitals and patients will continue to incur higher costs than are necessary."

Nurse Staffing and Healthcare-associated Infections

Journal of Nursing Administration, June 2002

"There is compelling evidence of a relationship between nurse staffing and adverse patient outcomes," including serious bloodstream infections in hospital patients.

Nurse Staffing Levels and Quality of Care in Hospitals

New England Journal of Medicine, May 30, 2002

Poor hospital registered nurse staffing is associated with higher rates of urinary tract infections, post-operative infections, pneumonia, pressure ulcers and increased lengths of stay, while better nurse staffing is linked to improved patient outcomes.

Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Addressing the Evolving Nursing Crisis

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), 2002

JCAHO found that low staffing levels were a contributing factor in 24% of patient safety errors resulting in injuries or death since 1996.

Intensive Care Unit Nurse Staffing and the Risk of Complications After Abdominal Aortic Surgery

Effective Clinical Practice, Sept./Oct. 2001

Patients treated in hospitals with fewer ICU nurses were more likely to have medical complications, respiratory failure or need a breathing tube inserted.