RN to patient ratio in Pediatrics?

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I just graduated with a BSN so I'm studying for the NCLEX and looking for jobs. I had a very short rotation in Pediatrics, but I think it might be a good fit for me. I definitely welcome any information on whether Pediatrics would be a good place to start as a new grad, but my specific question is: What is the typical RN to patient ratio in Pediatrics? Especially in the western U.S. states? At the hospital in California where I did my two-day pediatric rotation, each RN only had two patients because the family of each patient was considered to be an additional patient. Is this typical? How many pediatric patients are RNs taking care of in most hospitals?

Thank you for any help!

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Where I work gen Peds has 5:1 and stepdown is 4:1. PICU is 2:1 or 1:1. On gen Peds and stepdown I personally think the RNs should take one less patient each

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

At the children's hospital where I work, the nurse/patient ratios are usually ....

General med/surg units = 1:3 or 1:4 or 1:5 depending on the particulars of the assignment and whether a Nursing Assistant is available that shift

Intermediate care = 1:2 or 1:3

Intensive Care = 1:1 or 1:2

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Not on the west coast, but I do work in a large Children's Hospital on the east coast. :)

Our ratios are 1:3 ideally on our general med/surg floors, but can go 1:5 on a bad day. We work really hard to keep the assignments based on acuity!

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

None of the pediatric hospitals in the region consider family members to be patients, I have never heard of this being a thing before. Assignments vary based on acuity.

General Peds is 1:3 to 1:4

Peds BMT is 1:2 to 1:3

NICU is 1:1 to 1:3

PICU is 1:1 to 1:2, ECMO cases are 2:1

Peds ED is generally 1:1 to 1:4, but when we are surging you might have more.

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