Nursing Home ratios??

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Hi I work for an agency in PA, and I just recently worked a shift at my first nursing home ever.....and I had 21 patients. I have read somewhere the ratio is 1:20. This is outrageous! There is no good way to give "good" care to 21 patients. Meds, vitals, blood sugar checks, and charting in 8 hours...ha ha ha.

anyone else have high ratios like this? What are other states ratios?

Alzheimers unit = 1:28 with 3 CNAs on days / 2 on 2nd/ and 1-2 on nocs. This works out okay most of the time.

Subacute floor = 1:22 with 1-2 CNAs on nocs / 2-3 on 2nd/ 3 on 1st. This is all but impossible considering their acuity.

ICF = 1:54 with 3 CNAs on nocs/ ? on other shifts. This is a fairly quiet unit, but God help you if things start to go wrong.

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When I last worked in LTC, I was the only nurse for 60-65 pts w/ three CNAs on nocs. Didn't get a lunch break for over two years. Won't do that again.

that place should be shut down. :angryfire

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I work occasionally Nursing home upstate NY. Ratio is 20 to 1 Nurse eve. 40 to 1 nights

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

How many of you who work with a high ratio of patient to nurse feel that you are giving them the care and time that they deserve,can you keep up your standards or are you occasionally/always having to comprimise?

How often do you come off shift feeling that you just didn't give someone the care and attention they needed because of low staffing levels ?

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Where I work, on the 3-11 shift there are 2 units that have 40 and 42 residents. Many nights there is only one RN for each unit and 3 CNA's each.

On the graveyard shift, one nurse takes care of 2 units - one unit with 40 residents and the other with 62 residents. The night supervisor will stay pretty close to this nurse as often as she can, but when she's off, oh well.

that place should be shut down. :angryfire
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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

Jyoung that sounds horrendous,it really would be a nightmare working there,you dont say what country you are in,but if it is britain surely the Care Commission have something to say about your staffing levels?

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I work in a nursing home in KS, we have 31 residents, 6 of them are assisted living, every shift has only 1 nurse, and two aides, except for days they usually have 3 aides, from 9-5 the DON is there and also the MDS coordinater, so there's always extra help available if needed during the day

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Specializes in Emergency.

i work prn in ohio at a nh and we do 1:25. this is second shift and yeah it's hard but i do it when i have to.

this is considered to be the best nh in like 3 counties.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.

I work in an ECF for the mentally retarded now and usually take care of the half of them (32). When I was in the nursing home, I took care of 28.

It freaked me out at first because I came from the hospital where having 12 patients was a nightmare. But, now, it's nothing. When I get a routine down, I'm fine. Heck, I know most of their meds by heart (but still check in the Mar to be aware of changes).

You just have to get used to it.

Edited to add: I wouldn't want less than 30 (if they are in good health), but, that's just me.

The hospital is a totally different story. I wouldn't want anymore than 8 and that's only for a regular floor and pushing it.

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