RN to patient ratio on Comprehensive Stroke Certified units

Published

Specializes in Neuro-Tele.

For those of you who work on a unit in a hospital that is Comprehensive Stroke Certified, I am interested to know what your RN to patient ratio looks like. I work on a unit that is Comprehensive Stroke certified and our RN to patient ration is 4:1 on days, 5:1 on nights. RN's max out at 3 patients on days if one is a new stroke patient (meaning they will need neuro and vital signs checked Q2H) and on nights the nurses are maxed out at 4 patients with a new stroke patient. During the day, our NAC's have 8 patients; on nights our NAC's have 10 patients.

Please respond with the RN to patient ratio for days and nights, as well as the name of your hospital, city and state. Thank you fellow nurses!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Our new strokes go to the ICU, post TPA have a 1:1 if at all humanly possible due to the frequency of neuro exams. We created an ICU position to fly and be pulled if there is a new stroke.

I'd give you my hospital, city and state but that'd give me away...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro-Tele.

Thank you Accolay! I really appreciate your input : )

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I believe the ratios are 5-6:1 on the floor and 3:1 On stepdown. In the ICU they try to make the pt 1:1 for the 1st 8 hr post tPA (it usually isn't feasible to do 2 hrs of q 15 neuro checks and 6 hrs of q 30 min neuro checks, if you have a 2nd pt.) Otherwise they're 2:1.

I don't share my specific location or workplace on AN, sorry.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi, our hospital is currently applying to be a comprehensive stroke center....but we are a neuro telemetry floor. Since I am in the state of CA, our telemetry ratios are 4:1 AM and PM. If they need Q2 hour vital/neuro checks...they go to PCU so they can be 3:1. Hourly neuro/vitals go to ICU 2:1. It sounds like your hospital has appropriate ratios during the day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Our unit is stroke certified with spine surgeries and tele and 36 beds. We are magnet certified on EPIC. Step-down takes immediate strokes, we take them 24 hours post TPA. VS and neuro checks are hourly for all stroke/brain surgeries/lumbar drains. If a nurse takes 2-3 brain/strokes, ratios are 4:1 which includes a surgical patient (or two, if we are short staffed). If a nurse has 4 brains/strokes, it stays 4:1 with no taking on any fresh post ops and keeping same patient assignment next day. We are a 500 bed small hospital in a rural state in the west.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We have a 4-6:1 ratio. Rarely do we only have 4:1 because one of us RN's will most likely be floated to another floor. I think staffing needs to consider the patient acuity before leaving our floor with 4 nurses, but they don't... this is only increasing our turn over and burn out rate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care Cardiac, Neuro and Trauma.

Well sounds as if they are in the regs, and you work at a nice place. Often I see nurses stuck with 5 all day and night. Thank goodness for PT/OT delivering mobility

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We are a stroke and tele floor in a Chicago suburb.

Days is 4-6:1, but usually 4-5:1 (regardless of whether they are new strokes or not).

Nights are 5-8:1, usually 5-6:1

Day cnas are 8-12:1 and night cnas are 12-24:1.

2 nights ago I had 6 pts - 2 were brand new strokes (q2 vitals, neuros q4, etc...), one was a tele pt who kept flipping into Afib with RVR, and 1 was in 4 pt violent restraints, yet still managed to almost fall out of bed multiple times).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

There's no such thing as a "Comprehensive stroke certified unit". There are Comprehensive stroke certified facilities. The appropriate ratio for these patients is completely dependent on the level of care they require as a result of their stroke, which varies widely.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion