Nurse to Patient ratios, your thoughts

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Hi, I have been offered a job on a tele floor with a ratio of 1:8 nights. I am a new grad and would like to here from experienced nurses about what they think of this ratio. Is this a dangerous ratio? As an experienced nurse would you work with a ratio like this? What do you think for a new grad? Please any advice and details would greatly be appreciated!

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8:1 is a usual ratio for our night team. Sometimes they will have 7:1 and we will have 6:1 on days. There are a few new grads on nights that are doing fine with 8 patients. I work in a LTAC, and we do have telemetry, but not every patient is on it. I think the most I have had on telemetry at one time was 4 patients out of 5, but once you get the meds and rhythms down you should be fine.

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no its not safe , but its the norm..... if they actually admitted an 8:1 patient ratio watch out , im sure you will have 9 or 10: 1 always add one to whatever they admit to on an interview, you will see the truth on the floor, GOODLUCK!

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Specializes in ED.

8 is not safe at all IMO

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Specializes in LTAC.

8 is not safe.....

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

8 is not safe at all, remember you are responsible for all 8 of those pt.'s and to me that seems like too many to keep track of. I know when i graduated 6 yrs. ago, i started on a tele floor and we would have 5:1 ratio (and personally we were all complaining of that and trying to get the ratio down to 4:1)

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

This is a hospital job?! 8 is WAY too much. I have to agree with the posters above me. Youre responsible for ALL of those patients, their charts and their meds not to mention phone calls family members etc.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Oncology/Rehab.

Which hospital is this?? This is not safe at all!!! not safe for the nurse nor for the patients!! Our tele unit's ratio is 4:1 during day shift, & 5:1 at night.

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I don't think it is safe. I work nights and we have 6:1, which if they are heavy pts it can be very hard. I wouldn't say 8:1 is safe imo.

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Specializes in ICU, PCU.

Where I work there is a 4:1 ratio, sometimes flexing up to 5:1. Tele patients can be quite sick and 8:1 is rediculous! Where I work they only have a 6:1 patient ratio on med/surg even! These are both WITH techs! I would NOT do this! Remember that you've worked hard for your license, and you don't want to lose it!!

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At my hospital med surg days is 4-5: 1, PCU 3-4:1. I can't imagine taking care of 8 patients. My floor is 3-4 :1 and 4 gets hairy.

I agree 8:1 is insane.

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Specializes in Utilization Management; Case Management.

Wow...I'm I the bomb...or just a crazy lady? Im in medsurg. Usual is 7-8, but I've had 9 patients...and 10 once. I've been working at my hospital...who is trying to get magnet status...for 8 months 7/1/11. Yea..seen a lot, learned a lot, Its not safe but I care for my patients as much as I can. And when some of my classmates still have no jobs from last year april...who can really be so picky??? I complain, I report I do what I can for things to change and for a bit it seemed like it was changing, 5-6 pts some nights, but we're back to 7-8 religiously...and we're short staffed again so may be some 9 nights coming....

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