new rehab nurse

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by Jaaaman
Nov 14, '02   Views: 19,895   Comments: 29

  1. Hello. I am a new member to this board. I've been working in a rehab hospital for the last 4 months. I've become a little discouraged with the nurse to patient ratio (some nights it has been 15:1). I don't feel like adequate assessments and nursing care can be done with nurse to patient ratio's like this. I'm thinking about going back to the general hospital I worked at before this. I'm just wondering if this is the norm for rehab nursing? p.s. I am a fairly new LVN (graduated last December) Its possible I'm still trying to find my niche.
  2. Visit Jaaaman profile page

    About Jaaaman

    Joined: Nov '02; Posts: 342
    LVN working in small county hospital

    29 Comments

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  3. by Allison S.
    Nov 18, '02
    Occupation: Endless Joined: Sep '02; Posts: 81; Likes: 1
    I work in pediatric rehab in Massachusetts. Our ratio is 4-5 patients per nurse during the day and 7-8 at night. Our acuity is relatively high for a rehab because of our location. At our adult facility, I think the ratios are worse. I can't imagine doing what you are doing.
  4. by Jaydenc
    Apr 28, '03
    Occupation: Director of Staff Development Joined: Apr '03; Posts: 8
    Our unit currently staffs 3 LVN's to 18 patients with 4 CNA's and an RN charge nurse. Though our acuity sometimes exhibits ICU acuity. Nursing is becoming more difficult throughout the years. Good luck.
  5. by CashewLPN
    May 1, '03
    Occupation: Licenced Practical Nurse, Long Term Care. Certified wacko. Captain Star Command. Sous Chef, Sculpter,maid, Cert. Butt wiper,secret agent,thief,Level Seven Mage.Lover, hater,musician at large.Starving artist, ME ME ME ME ME Joined: Feb '01; Posts: 1,631; Likes: 44
    hmm.... depending on the facility, your acuity, and about 17000 other factors...
    sometimes ratios in rehab are horrible, as our patients are considered 'sub-acute' in the realm of categories.... wheras we all know, a 'sub acute' can go 'critical' in a matter of instants...
    best of luck...
    --Cashew
    Last edit by CashewLPN on Sep 6, '05
  6. by redshiloh
    May 1, '03
    Joined: Mar '03; Posts: 352; Likes: 41
    What type of rehab medicine? I work spinal cord injury and our ratios on days and eves are 3-4 to one and on nights 6-7 to one. Rehab medicine is a line of work that's tough on the body.
  7. by Chaya
    May 1, '03
    Specialty: 15 year(s) of experience in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care ; Joined: Mar '03; Posts: 1,129; Likes: 510
    On my cardiopulmonary unit the ratio is about 6 pts per nurse days, 8-9 on eves and about twice that on nights.
  8. by kae rn
    May 2, '03
    Joined: Nov '02; Posts: 57
    Where I work I am responsible for 6-7 patients during the day with the help of a LPN or aide. At night it is somewhere around 4 and covering a LPN caring for 5. Not bad, the acuity is high at times.
  9. by yeyirn
    Dec 4, '03
    Occupation: Pediatric ICU Staff Nurse Joined: Aug '03; Posts: 32
    Hi! Our lone PediaCare Nurse is resigning from her present post this month, together with the 2 other nurses, I am tasked to replace her....

    Honestly, I'm a bit hesitant to accept it because of the idea of doing all things all over again....since I'm a pediatric ICU nurse for the past three years of stay in this institution, plus another three years of stay in the ward.. But to spare myself from the 'burned out' ambiance in the ICU., I accepted the new assignment.

    Sigh!!!I'd like to go to other country, I have pending applications to both the UK and US......but until now I'm still waiting....

    Thanks for reading my notes...

    yeyirn
  10. by nlhrn
    Dec 5, '03
    Occupation: RN Joined: Dec '03; Posts: 4
    I have been a Rehab RN since Jan. 1990 and the ratios have really changed. it used to be no more then 10:1 on nights and 5:1 on days now it is 7:1 on days and up to 15:1 on nights. And this is all primary nursing,not team. We have 2 assistants at nite when we are lucky. And as we all know the acuity has changed for the worse,,it is rare to even get a true "rehab" patient now a days!!

    Even with all this said,,I wouldn't do med-surg (floor) nursing for anything!!! They may have less patients but they have it much,much worse then us,,in our facility anyway!! Best of luck in whatever you do!!!
  11. by mom and nurse
    Dec 30, '03
    Occupation: Nurse Practitioner Specialty: Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab ; From: US ; Joined: Nov '03; Posts: 647; Likes: 128
    NLHRN I'm curious that you said "Even with all this said,,I wouldn't do med-surg (floor) nursing for anything!!! They may have less patients but they have it much,much worse then us,,in our facility anyway!! "
    __________________

    NLHRN (or any other rehab folks) - I'm a senior nursing student about to do my senior practicum at a Rehab facility (brain, spinal cord, etc). I loved the tour they gave me of the place. Doesn't rehab nursing involve a lot of med surg? The nurses in rehab seemed happier than the ones I remember on the med surg floor of the hospital that I did my clinicals at. Why are those of you who are rehab nurses doing rehab instead of med surg? Those of you who have done both....what's the difference between the two?
  12. by Chaya
    Dec 31, '03
    Specialty: 15 year(s) of experience in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care ; Joined: Mar '03; Posts: 1,129; Likes: 510
    Mom and Nurse:

    I work in Rehab because I have found that I do my best work with a consistent patient group. Our patients usually stay a week or two and you get to know their needs pretty well AND are usually able to see improvement over time- very gratifying.

    Chaya
  13. by mom and nurse
    Dec 31, '03
    Occupation: Nurse Practitioner Specialty: Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab ; From: US ; Joined: Nov '03; Posts: 647; Likes: 128
    Chaya - Thanks for your reply. I liked the idea of doing my practicum and perhaps considering rehab nursing because it appeared that the nurses have more time to spend with the patients (one or two weeks). I look forward to my practicum at the rehab center.
  14. by cc123
    Jan 7, '04
    Occupation: lpn Joined: Jan '04; Posts: 6
    I ve been a rehab nurse (LPN) for 9 yrs now . I ve loved it so much because its alot like med-surg. our pt. to nurse ratio is 6:1 with four cna s on days and three for evening s and two at nite.we do primary nursing with the charge rn taking usually 4 or five pts.
    I work agency lots and do med-surg. and I have to tell you its really nice when your pt. can get up and go to the bathroom with only stand by assist. I ll be relocating soon and I would love to go to med surg all the time. Mostly becuase the admit criteria changed where I ve been for so long ...use to specialize in head and back injuries now its kinda like a set population all the time with the older population...mostly cva s ect...

    some of the pt. to nurse ratio s I ve read are quite frightening...15 :1 is really too much I would think how can you care for that many ppl properly?

    I guess situations like that is why they scream there is a shortage of nurses......
    :kiss

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