Nursing assistants (UA, CNA, etc) ratios. What works best?

[Liz520]

Finishing nursing school in about 40 days and one of my last assignments is a "change project" about one of the hospitals I have been assigned. My idea is that there needs to be more assistive personal at one of the hospitals I worked at. On a med-surg floor, the nurse patient ratio is 1:4, total patient care....linens, hygiene, ambulation, meds, everything. Other places I have been the ratio maybe a little higher but there is more help. In my opinion in these types of situations patients get better care because when I am on my own with 4 and I have a more acute patients in room 1, then room 2 may have to sit in his soiled linens a bit longer or get his meds late....just one example. It can does get scarier than this

Here are some examples of the ratios I have experienced:

Nurse patient ratio= 1:6-8 patients. 1 Corpsman assigned to help just you

*Keep in mind Corpsman have a bit more skill....can start IV's, do injections, and do catheters

Nurse patient ratio= 1:4

2 CNA's to 25 beds assigned by charge nurse.

Nurse patient ratio 1:4-6

2 CNA's for 18 beds. Assigned by charge nurse

What do you think.........what works best for a med-surg?!