One nurse on unit...

[bassadict69]

Is there anything that says there must be at least two nurses on a unit? I work somewhere that continuously works us by our self on a unit with a couple unlicensed aids. God forbid a patient should code...gonna be tough working it by myself.

Not to mention the fact that this is a locked psych unit...seems like a HUGE safety issue to me!

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I believe staffing is usually determined by P&P's. Have you looked in yours to see what staffing should look like?

[elkpark]

I've worked in psych all of my career, and I've never worked anywhere that had a policy that there had to be two nurses on a unit at all times. At least two staff, yes. Two nurses, no.

[AcuteHD]

I've worked in psych all of my career, and I've never worked anywhere that had a policy that there had to be two nurses on a unit at all times. At least two staff, yes. Two nurses, no.

Ditto for HD (up to 10 pts in my state)

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I've worked a unit that required two staff on together, only ONE needed to be a nurse. Also a locked unit. Much depends on the needs of the unit....let's face it, if there's a code, you're gonna hit a button and GET the help in that you need from wherever they are in the facility anyway. You never have everyone always on one unit for a code. They magically appear :)

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I worked psych as the only staff person, period, unless there were more than 11 patients...

[loriangel14, RN]

Would help not come if you called a code?

[kay91]

Where I work (a hospital), there is to be 2 nurses on all floors at all times. Now our psych floor has to have two nurses or more but they both don't have to be psych nurses. I was floated there once to be the third nurse since they called for one by numbers but I teched mostly. I know they have had 1 psych nurse and a med/surg nurse task before and that was it for the floor. However, not all hospitals have that especially some critical access hospitals where 1 nurse might be it.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Two staff members are always scheduled. Even if there's only one patient. One is an RN, the other is another RN, an LPN, or a CNA.

Really small rural hospitals sometimes only have one unit, with an ER. Sometimes an SCU, but not always.

Hard to run a code when there's nobody to respond.

[SarahMaria, MSN, RN]

I work in a forensic psych hospital with violent patients that have committed murder, rape, etc. I am frequently the only nurse on the unit with anywhere from 14-22 patients. We often are involved in restraints and takedowns. It can be a challenge, but I'm not worried about my safety or my staff's safety or my patients' safety.