Rehab/LTC: Ratio too high?

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

After reading the thread about the highest number of patients anyone has taken care of, I was prompted to post this question: I'm a new grad RN, who recently was hired at a LTC/rehab facility. When I'm working in the LTC area, I have 36 patients that I have to do a med pass, assess, do treatments (most are very stable.) I have 2 CNA's working with me. Then, when I'm in the Rehab area (hip/knee replacement, post-accident with back/neck braces, post-CVA/MI) they are giving me 18 patients. I also have 2 CNA's. This is seeming way too high of a ratio to me. Am I being unreasonable, or this normal? I just feel like I run my butt off the entire shift.:o

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

That is way more then any one nurse is responsible for in the ltc where I work.Our smallest units are 21 bed and they each have one nurse on day shift-all of the other units which average 42 beds have at least 2 nurses on days and most often 3. The larger units have 2 med carts.We generally have 6 cna's on my shift-sometimes 5 or 7. We are a facility with close to 250 beds-we also have a full time supervisor on each shift (2 on days) I usually like my job..:lol2: it's great knowing the residents received the care they deserve at the end of the day...

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do you work midnight shift? usually during midnights theres only one nurse on duty, but during the day and afternoons, they have two nurses. when i worked at rehab facility, i had 15-20 patients. lot of people think midnight shift is easy but its not. they have more things to do, like monthly renewals and lot of patients need pain medicine.

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

It sounds about the norm (I almost said right:icon_roll) to me. The last SNF I worked at was staffing 30:1 LN each shift with varying numbers of CNA's most on 7-3 , fewer on 3-11 and for 11-7 there were 3 CNA's for the skilled rehab units (2 - 30 beds units in a T shape. So I had 30 patients with 1 1/2 CNAs.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

Nope--I work 2:30-11 p.m.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, OR.

I interviewed for a LTC/SNF recently and their ratio was 30:1 LTC and 12:1 for the skilled section. I was told that as you master your time management skils the stable patients won't seem like too much. Give it time.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

12:1 for the skilled would be great.....that's the ratio they told me it would be when I interviewed. :trc:

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