staffing pediatrics

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Im an RN working in a small peds unit of 8 beds. We normally staff only one nurse on the (locked) unit. we get another nurse when we reach 5 patients. Im going to be meeting with the CNO about a new staffing plan. I need some helpful opinions or maybe some ideas on staffing policy. We mostly care for GI, RSV, FUO, etc. I know that having 1 RN on the unit is not acceptable but don't know how to get that through to admin. Especially now that the unit is locked it is like adding another patient to our load because we have to actually walk to the door to let people in (no buzzing in :( ) Please Help!

:confused:

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Specializes in Peds, PACU, ICU, ER, OB, MED-Surg,.

I would think at the very least you would need two licensed positions on unit in case of a code situation. How in a code would you be with the patient, calling the doc, calling the code and letting people in the door? I've worked on a small unit of 12 beds but we still had two nurses even if census went to 1. We did not have a secretary or aide though alot of the time. We were able to support our unit with adult overflow (very select patients that fit in with the kids, mostly hysterectomies). We also took outpatient's from md's offices for bolus, blood draws etc.

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This might sound stupid, but do you have a nurse's aide working the floor with you?

If not is it possible to hire an aide to assist with things such as answering the door - one on one - running for this or that, if needed and so forth? This might help to take some of the stress off the nurse and at the same time be more "cost effective."

Does your hospital have staff "floating" that can be pulled if an emergency? I know that's not always the best...but the financial end has gotten so tight...

Just my :twocents:. Let us know how it went.

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I'm a new grad (Well RN now) and just recently started working on a Pediatric unit, we are a fairly small unit as well but their policy is you have to have a least 2 RN's working, even if their is 0 patients. Except for on night shift, I think they can have 1 on nights. However, if we have 0 patients then one can be floated to either NICU or LDRP but must stay in house in case 1 patient is admitted, if that is the case then that nurse must come back to the unit. We do all pediatric outpatient lab draws + all adult lab draws after the outpatient center closes, because we are open 24/hrs. We are also a locked unit.

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Specializes in Home Health.

Are you connected in with the labor unit? Who covers your breaks or even your own toileting needs? WHo is there to verify high alert meds with you? I think 4:1 staffing is enough however, you HAVE to have another license on your floor for emergent situations. The PP who said they have 2 nurses even as far down as 1 patient, I thought that is the way it had to be on almost all floors.

I do not think I would be able to work on a floor with staffing like what you describe.

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