6:1 patient ratio and no aide on day shift

mcknis · Aug 10, 2008

Take this to your management staff! This is NOT safe staffing for any facility on any unit. I do agree this would be ok with a LTC facility as you typically have 15-20 (or more) pts, but I would definitely making my voice heard as this is just grounds for mistakes beyond belief. We only do primary care with 3-4 pts and if they are all good with low numbers of meds, then maybe 5, (and that is stretching it). Please complain about this and take it to your employee assistance program if one exists. for me, my Liability Insurance company would also be hearing from me if this was how I was treated as a new grad at my current job. Ridiculous!!!

nursealanarae · Aug 10, 2008

Wow, that is insane! It is amazing you can get anything done! I would definately agree and go to management. If that doesn't work, go higher up. This is an unsafe environment not only for the patients but also you. Goodluck

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2008

Help!! I am a new RN grad, and work on a surg-med unit. All the nurse managers care about every shift is their staff numbers, which changes based on census at any given moment. It's common for us to have 6 patients each, and not have an aide, or a transport person. Can anyone else give me input on this situation?

Gladly. This situation sucks.

southernbelle08 · Aug 11, 2008

Horrible, isn't it? Will probably be the main reason I move on out of where I am in a year or so. Our floor is VERY much like what you are describing and it is nothing for a nurse to be 8:1 and there has been one night it was 9:1. Now granted there have been aids -- if you happen to get certain ones, it is like not having an aid at all, if you know what I mean.

Right now I am up to 4 patients by myself, I could easily see taking on 1 or 2 more -- but when I sit and think about adding on 4 or 5 more, my head spins.

Best of luck to you!

NikkiRN_BSN · Aug 11, 2008

I get six on NOCs but we have a floating CNA that does blood sugars, answers call lights, etc. On days and PMs we get four. There is no way I would feel comfortable with six!

christina11 · Aug 16, 2008

My heart goes out to you! I'm a new nurse - graduated in May, and passed the boards in July - and was orienting on a med surg floor. From DAY 1 the pressure was on to move faster, and take on a bigger and bigger case load. It was confusing to me because I knew that this was a set up for DISASTER, and I couldn't understand why the hospital would want to put itself ( and ME! ) in such a position. After 2 months of trying to live up to an increasingly impossible standard, and feeling too aware of the dangerous position that I was putting myself in I decided to resign. One nurse on the unit told me that her first night off of orientation she was given a caseload of 10 patients! The usual ratio was somewhere between 7-10 patients to 1 nurse. I worked the 3-11 shift and often there was just 1 aide for 25-30 patients. Needless to say, my first experience as a nurse has turned into a huge disappointment.

RN-butnotinGA · Aug 16, 2008

try 30:1

been working at what started as a LTC facility but has slowly changed to post acute care. they even changed the name of the place to match. they forget to change the number of staff. I have 2 cnas.

talk about a nightmare. the trachs, IVs. and most on the unit are FULL CODES. and not stable. I will be applying at the hospital.

Justlearning · Aug 16, 2008

I have similar situation. Passed boards in July. I work on a busy med surg floor. I am up to 5:1. And must be up to 6:1 by the end of the coming week. I am so depressed. Everyone is on me to step it up. I feel so unsafe. I am trying to stick it out but I feel I am jeopardizing everything I have worked for. I also feel the training in nursing school sucks and feel totally inadquate. :sniff:

pinkestar · Aug 17, 2008

I see so much frustration in this thread. It saddens because I am having such an incredible orientation and so I realize that are better ways for it to be done, instead of what many of you are experiencing. I know have 5 pt assignments, I'll ultimately end up averaging 6. The difference is that I completely supported in my position. Everyone goes out of their way to make sure I'm doing. There is no person I would be afraid of to ask "a stupid question". We usually have just 2 aides, but they're truly amazing. There is no way I could get through my days without them! My orientation is going a million times better than I ever even hoped it could. I truly enjoy it day in and day out. So don't give up on nursing in general...look for a job where you'll be supported--with tasks and skills, ect--but also mentally and emotionally. My coworkers and manager go out of their way to boost my confidence all the time! I can promise you that this kind of job is out there--I'm so lucky to be employed at one. Most importantly, know that it's the hospital/management/veteran , who are coming up short on their end. Best of luck to you!

Nicole

cherokeesummer · Aug 17, 2008

Help!! I am a new RN grad, and work on a surg-med unit. All the nurse managers care about every shift is their staff numbers, which changes based on census at any given moment. It's common for us to have 6 patients each, and not have an aide, or a transport person. Can anyone else give me input on this situation? I feel like I am not able to get everything done, especially because I work alot of day shifts, and most of my patients are complete cares.

I work in OB and its common for us to have 6 couplets (12 patients) with the same issues (i.e. no aides or transport). Granted your floor is probably even harder b/c of the full total care patients, but I do feel your pain a bit! HUGS and hopefully eventually patients will start speaking up for wanting more nursing staff and maybe we can get ourselves the support we need!