Questions About Staffing Ratios

[snh2009]

Hi everyone I have a questions about staffing ratio. I work in the ER of a small rural facility and recently cross trained house Supervisor. The nurses on the m/s / tele area are taking 6pts on days even tele pts. Now these pt are not on any kinds of cardiac drips and most of the time are ready to go in 1-2 days. But is this the normal ratio as most of these nurses are very unhappy and discontent. I know that if feels like there is a lot of favoritism through management at least that is how it is in the ER. Just wondering if the discontent is the ratio or just management not listening, which has become the normal here lately it feels like. I crossed trained to help out and now they have pretty much pulled me out of ER to do this full time, which I hate, and they say they will get me back in the ER more in about a month and a half. I have also taught and teach multiple classes so the sad doesn’t have to drive to the bigger facilities almost an hour from our facility. I have been here for 2 years this tome. I have been asking for Sunday’s off since I started and they just hired a agency nurse full tome and said well she doesn’t want to work sundays. They have mostly worked with her and on this next scheduled she is only scheduled one Sunday out of the required 3. Neither of us had anything written down on our contract. So I already know I am irritated with mamangement and there are nurses that have the same problem up stairs. So before I try taking this up the chain ( the staff ratio) trying to get a feel for the average ration in Texas. Sorry I know that was a lot. Guess I am kinda venting as well

[AnLe, ASN, RN]

I've been on my medsurg/tele unit for more than 1 year now here in Texas. I work nights. We always get 6 patients. Sometimes it is frustrating and other times it's an ok night. Our unit frequently needs help, especially if someone gets pulled to PCU and we have a float nurse with us. Depending on where the float nurse is from, they won't administer IV antibiotics or deal with someone who has a wound. Usually they can't take tele patients.

There was one point in time where we had an excessive amount of stroke patients so a nurse had to take 2 strokes.