Ratio on step-down unit

1:4-5

Day shift 4 to 5, night shift 5 to 6

It ideally should be 4:1 max, again seek out the NNU site for policy.

We had 4:1 with PCA; changed to 3:1, no PCA.

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!

1-3:1

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.

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!

3:1 on my unit, day or night.

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.

We run 3:1. Cardiac step-down sometimes runs 4:1. I've floated to the CSDU and found four manageable--the ones I had were more like step-and-a-half down--but I've had assignements there where three was plenty. Honestly, I don't see how they can call more than 3:1 a stepdown assignment. On my home, neuro, floor, I've had nights with 2 that felt like an ICU team, and if I got a third, they'd better be able to help pass meds.