There have been other threads similar to this, but I'm wondering solely about RN to pt ratios, not including however many LVNs, PCTs, or CNAs are included in your staffing.
Our hospital doesn't take into account the number of pts 1 RN is responsible for when staffing, even when they have their own pts, and are responsible for the other non-RN staffs' pts, also. It is kinda scary sometimes when you are so busy with your own full pt load (or should I say 'overload'), that you may never lay eyes on another nurses pts that you are 'legally' responsible for, too. There may be 17 or more pts on the floor (med/surg) some days with only 1 RN, and these are acutely ill hospital pts. It's not humanly possible to do what is required or expected of nurses sometimes. Is this very far off from the rest of the country, or is this pretty much normal everywhere? (I hope not.)
I work on TCU and generally have me the RN and 2 LPN (1 TCU the other Float). Oh yeah & 23 patients on monitors. Fortunately, I trust my TCU LPN's. The hospital has been working so that there are 2 RN's and 1 LPN all TCU. Unfortunately, the new hires are not out of orientation and 1 nurse is off on short-term disability.
I work in philly on a pediatric trauma/transplant floor and the ratio is 5 pts : 1 RN sometimes smaller if its a new transplant they are a 3:1 or a 4:1 and depending on the trauma and stuff plus we have an aide sometimes thats 10:1 ...so basically we have 2 nurses (2RN or 1RN and 1LPN never 2 LPN) for 10 patients and sometimes we have an aide but most times not.
THat is a large n:p for peds trauma! where are you working?
on another note, I was recently talking to a nurse from Israel who said they had up to 50 patients at a time! Talk about work. She said the paperwork was much easier though.
I currently work med surg and usuall have 5-6 patients without a tech or 7-8 with a tech. But those numbers don't matter because I have had an easy night with 8 and I have run my behind off with 4.
Unfortunately, these ratio laws in CA may be changing (for the worse:crying2: ) Hospitals are crying and now accusing the closure of their facilities on NURSES! They are telling the public that they cannot afford these pt/nurse ratios and this is what is forcing the closure of ERs and hospitals. Yup, blame the nurse....not the totally messed up healthcare system in this country. I just read an article in the paper that said, "If nurses would just take 7-8-9 patients, our facilities wouldn't be in the middle of this crisis". It implied that Nurses are just sitting around twiddling their thumbs. What to do, what to do??
I hope not as MA is the next state that is voting to follow CA. I am terrified what this will do to our ED though as we currently can and have had 1 pt to 13 regularly with one CNA
As a result of a Studer Group Leadership study, my hospital system is 'implementing' improved staffing levels, and taking patient assignments away from charge nurses. It will be most interesting to see whether that happens, or not, in practice.
Ideas in a nutshell:Adress internal pay inequities based on total years of experience, increase shift differential, introduce float pools, give higher PRN pay, increase hiring rates for experienced nurses, increase recognition rewards for service anniversaries.
Anyone out there who works in Northern Virignia heard anything about this? Anyone have an opinion?
Ratio on my floor is usually 1:10 - 1:14. Never any less, seems like if it is less, you can bet someone is gonna be cut for a few hours. Guess the ones at the top need their big bucks, so they keep us drowning so they don't have to pay extra help. It's stressful and scary everyday. BUT!! My contract is up in June and off I'll go to somewhere else. Can't wait!!!!!
I work in a hospital in Maryland and the hospital administrstion recently made a statment to the effect of " there is no maximum ratio for the nursing staff". We do not utilize LVN's or LPN's. I work on an orthopedic surgical unit. At what point does an assignment become "unsafe"? Nusing Practice act says that if you don't take over the care of a patient and refuse to take an assignment it is not considered abandonment. So by refusing you are protecting your license but the hospital still has the right to terminate your employment.
As a result of a Studer Group Leadership study, my hospital system is 'implementing' improved staffing levels, and taking patient assignments away from charge nurses. It will be most interesting to see whether that happens, or not, in practice.
Ideas in a nutshell:Adress internal pay inequities based on total years of experience, increase shift differential, introduce float pools, give higher PRN pay, increase hiring rates for experienced nurses, increase recognition rewards for service anniversaries.
Anyone out there who works in Northern Virignia heard anything about this? Anyone have an opinion?[/quote
The hospital I just left had that. It was fine during the day and evening when the staff was adequate but at night we only have 2 nurses working while the charge nurse does her banking or commitee stuff (she is on the policy comitee)basically she does little to nothing while we carry a load of 1:13 does not matter acuity.in the ER
ark-two
47 Posts
I work on TCU and generally have me the RN and 2 LPN (1 TCU the other Float). Oh yeah & 23 patients on monitors. Fortunately, I trust my TCU LPN's. The hospital has been working so that there are 2 RN's and 1 LPN all TCU. Unfortunately, the new hires are not out of orientation and 1 nurse is off on short-term disability.