Published Jan 18, 2011
cp24001
16 Posts
I was just wondering what the nurse/patient ratios are on your step-down units.
Thanks.
PAERRN20
660 Posts
1:4-5
SCnurse2010
112 Posts
Day shift 4 to 5, night shift 5 to 6
steelydanfan
784 Posts
It ideally should be 4:1 max, again seek out the NNU site for policy.
tswim
69 Posts
We had 4:1 with PCA; changed to 3:1, no PCA.
noelia23RN
4 to 1 or 3 to 1 depending if there's a cna otherwise is not a truly step-down I know someone mentioned 6 to 1 that's ridiculous!
Nurse0621
20 Posts
1-3:1
ChristineN, BSN, RN
3,465 Posts
When I float to neuro step-down, the nurses can have 1:3-5 pts. However, they do assignments based on accuity, tele, and if they have floor status pts. The nurse with 5 pts typically has floor status pts and/or no tele.
Oh, and when I go to cardiac step-down 1:3 is the norm, 1:4 if they have to MAX.
Thanks to all of you for posting..we are 6:1. Safety is always my biggest concern.
...and I might add, there is no regard for acuity. We have this scale that we chart on, but that is so subjective & different with each nurse.
NocturneNrse
193 Posts
Night shift on my former "step down" unit was 6-8:1, and on one occasion I had 10 patients d/t a nurse becoming ill at last minute. It was HORRIFIC!!
p.s. Patients in hospital on acute floors DO NOT SLEEP AT NIGHT!
TWUgrad
12 Posts
3:1 on my unit, day or night.
April, RN, BSN, RN
1,008 Posts
Thanks to all of you for posting..we are 6:1. Safety is always my biggest concern. ...and I might add, there is no regard for acuity. We have this scale that we chart on, but that is so subjective & different with each nurse.
That's way too many and sounds dangerous. If that's your ratio on a step-down, then what is the ratio on the med/surg floors at your hospital? Our step-downs are 2-3 per nurse on days and 4-5 on nights.