Nurse:Pt ratio

[first123]

I'm doing nurse:pt ratio research for NICU's. Can you please tell me if you are in a L2 or 3 unit or combined and number of patients. Also who is allowed to feed your babies. Thank you.

[nurse1432]

Level 3 and Level 2 combination.

Level 3 area is 3:1 for stable CPAP, vent, HFNC. 2:1 for unstable respiratory (vents) or baby with lines requiring a high amount of medication. and 2:1 i open for admission.

Level 2 area is always 3:1 or 4:1 only if we are short staffed.

Who can feed babies: RN, LVN, Speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy (if needed as part of their assessment.)

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

Level 3: 2:1 max. As they get more unstable it can be 1:1 or 1:2.

Level 2: Usually 3:1. Sometimes depending on the other assignments it may be 2:1. Rarely 4:1. I've only done it twice in 3 years and one was required for orientation. Nasal cannulas and IV fluids are L2, but they usually won't give you 3 babies with NCs and IV fluids.

Techs can feed babies as long as there aren't any special risks. Generally, anyone I can feed, the techs can feed. But I do most of my feeds myself unless I'm lagging or they come to me and volunteer.

[bananas1]

Level 3: 1:1 or 1:2

Level 2" 1:2, 3, or 4 depending on the baby's needs.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

Level IV: 3:1 for stable grower/feeder type

2:1 if assignment has a vent or mildly unstable pt.

1:1 for high acuity, unstable pts.

1:2 for conjoined twins (or double 1:1 since they are two babies). We have had 2 sets in the last 3 yrs.

Bottle feeding is done by parent, nurse, extern or speech therapy.

[callie16, BSN]

Level II/III combined unit.

Level 3: Any intubated or critically unstable baby is an automatic 1:1. Typically our other Level 3 babies are 2:1 ratio unless combined with Level 2 babies then it might be a 3:1.

Level 2: Almost always are 3:1 (4:1 if we're short).

RNs, speech therapists, and patient care tech are allowed to bottle. Techs only bottle if the RN delegates it to them and is based off discretion of the RN (we really only delegate if the baby is a consistently good bottler).

[PeakRN]

Level IV.

1:3 for stable patients

1:2 for those with more time needed for interventions

1:1 for critical patients

2:1 for ECMO

Any breast milk or formula that comes from the nutrition room must have a RN present for scanning. If they can tolerated bottle feeds well then they can be given by techs or parents. OT and SLP may do feeds as part of assessments but do not regularly feed infants. The vast majority of feeds are given by RNs.