patient/nurse ratios in Nevada (Reno)?

Reno1978, BSN, RN · May 4, 2009

I enjoyed the year I worked at Renown as a new graduate. I oriented to the ICU there. Nurse to Patient ratios in NV are not mandated by the state. However, before I left, there was mention of an agreement between the union and Renown on safe staffing guidelines. Guidelines being the operable word there. RNs have 2 pts in ICU, 1 in PACU/OR, 4 in ED, 6 on medical/surgical floors. I don't remember a lot from L&D but in clinicals it was 1 on 1 for patients in labor and 2-3 for antepartum patients. Postpartum patient assignments were 5-6.

Again, guidelines - I've heard of medical/surgical floor RNs taking up to 10 patients on night shift, which I don't think it's safe. I think if you stick to ED or L&D you'll be okay with the ratios. On a sidenote, the educator for the ED is awesome and the manager and educator in L&D were great too. The L&D ones were involved in educating us at the university by guest lecturing during our maternal/child curriculum.

LilRedRN1973 · May 20, 2009

I'm glad they got the union involved, because when I left the ICU in 2007, there were many, many nights where we were asked to take 3 patients. Not safe in my opinion, especially when they were trauma patients or when you ended up having 2 patients in one pod and 1 in another. How on earth can you keep an eye on all 3 patients at once when they are in separate pods?? That is one of the many reasons why I left....I felt it was becoming unsafe to work there. But it sounds as though the union stepped up and got involved.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · May 21, 2009

I'm glad they got the union involved, because when I left the ICU in 2007, there were many, many nights where we were asked to take 3 patients. Not safe in my opinion, especially when they were trauma patients or when you ended up having 2 patients in one pod and 1 in another. How on earth can you keep an eye on all 3 patients at once when they are in separate pods?? That is one of the many reasons why I left....I felt it was becoming unsafe to work there. But it sounds as though the union stepped up and got involved.

Just wanted to point out that she is speaking of the Trauma ICU (Now also referred to as the Sierra ICU). I haven't heard that nurses have 3 patient assignments there now, but I have heard of podhopping there, where you have 2 patients in two different clusters of rooms. It makes it hard to visualize both patients.

I worked in the Roseview ICU and never had a 3 patient assignment and our pods have 6 rooms in each so we were never split between pods - always 3 nurses per pod and a charge nurse.

I left in January, but still have friends who work in all 3 ICUs there that I keep in contact with.

LilRedRN1973 · May 21, 2009

Do they still have the Courtyard open? That was my favorite place to work. I rarely had 3 patient assignments there and always got to take care of a neuro patient or two (LOVED bolts/ventriculostomies). Also, the Courtyard is where a lot of the travelers were always scheduled and I enjoyed working with them.....always something to learn from travelers. Did a couple by the name of Kyle and Lisa come back to work in the ICU over the past year or so? They were supposed to be taking an assignment that started shortly after I left and I was bummed I didn't get to see them again. Great nurses!

I'm guessing the Roseview is in the new tower? The tower hadn't opened yet when I left.....

Reno1978, BSN, RN · May 21, 2009

Courtyard = Roseview ICU where I worked. They opened their new Tahoe tower and renamed everything so it's easier to explain to visitors where to go. Anyhow, I loved the courtyard and didn't care too much to be floated to the trauma ICU.

The names don't ring a bell, but if they worked on the Trauma side i wouldn't have known them.

CIC ended up moving to the new tower but the trauma and courtyard ICUs are where they once were, only with different names.

LilRedRN1973 · May 21, 2009

Wow....guess the ICU got screwed. Plans changed so much while I was there. First they were moving it, then they weren't. Then they were and Stepdown was going to take over the old ICU (the one that sounds like it's now strictly the trauma side). Guess plans changed again. I agree with you about the Courtyard (Roseview). I loved working my night shift there. I liked the set up, the rooms, and for the most part, the patients. I never had to deal the trauma doc who likes to yell and throw things at nurses...lol! And yep, Kyle and Lisa worked trauma so they probably were over there on their assignment.

tookdaddy · Oct 12, 2010

Reno1978 - I'm thinking about taking my first long-distance travel assignment in SICU at Renown, but I will be taking my family, and I guess I'm just looking for some kind of reassurance that it isn't an awful place to work. I've read some good and some bad about it. Is it strange for a travel company to avoid letting me talk to RN's they currently have placed there, or is that pretty normal for privacy reasons? The position I'm deciding about is in Roseview on day shift. Thank you so much for your help!

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2010

I worked in Roseview ICU for a year before relocating to WA state. I went to school in Reno and I also had clinicals in Renown before that. I liked working there - I enjoyed my coworkers and I'm still in contact with many who work there and like it - I might be able to put you in touch with some staff nurses who work there if you have any questions.

Just PM me.

tookdaddy · Oct 13, 2010

Apparently I don't have enough posts to PM yet....is there another way we can get in touch? I'm fairly new to the forum.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2010

You should be able to now that you have 15 posts.

livingonadream · Nov 20, 2010

There is nothing that mandates patient to nurse ratio. Take for example that in the ICUs at Renown, one nurse and 3 patients. Very unsafe!