patient to nurse ratio

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Specializes in LTC?Skilled and dialysis.

At my facility I have a 39:1 patient to nurse ratio. I am so burned out that I often cry on te way home from work. I am in charge of meds,txs,charting, taking orders off and praying like heck that no one falls, gets sick or heaven forbid calls off. We are very short staffed and management doesnt even try to hire . We lost 3 LPNS and hired 0! Is everyones ratio this crappy?*wine

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What shift? That is A LOT of patients if it is anything but 11-7!!!!! When I was a LPN, I had 60 pts at night and I was the charge nurse. I also was responsible for all the IV's in the building at night since I was the only IV certified LPN. I often had to leave my assignment to walk to the other end of the building to do all the IV's~ I made it a point to work there as little as possible. The other facilities, 11-7 was 30:1.

During 7-3 and 3-11, the ratio is usually 20:1 on the rehab side and 30:1 on the LTC side. With 39 on a day or evening shift, I would start to look elsewhere for a job because that is ridiculous and you are putting your license in jeopardy IMO.

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

There is absolutely no way what so ever that I would work under those conditions. I would rather work at McDonalds. That is just way too much liability.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

oh geez, I completely understand! My first job I worked on 11-7 with 45 people, same with 3 to 11 and 7 to 3. I also had to do all my own treatments, and like you pray that no one got hurt or sick. it sucks, but going to another facilit is the only thing I was able to do. I now have 29 people on 11 to 7 and the conditions are MUCH better, although you still have the same crap. hang in there!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

You have my sympathy. I would not work under that stress.

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Specializes in LTC?Skilled and dialysis.

Thanks for all of the responses. I work 6am to 6pm shift and have the tremendous workload. In my area there aren't alot of job options.I hate where I am and am afraid that in time I am going to grow to hate nursing because of my work conditions. I recently applied for a nurse manager position in a personal care home nearby. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Today I worked the rehab floor and it was hell. Well it gets worse before it gets better right?

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