Staffing per unit question

[lynz06]

The unit I have been in has been open a little over a year now and the staff has always been very hesitant and voiced our concerns for the lack of safety the current set up is for our small 8 bed observation unit. We are located behind the emergency department, however very isolated from the comings and goings of the hospital. We are in charge of nursing as well as housekeeping duties of these rooms and our patients stay from 24-48 hours. The set up currently consists of one nurse to 5 patients but we do not have a CNA/technician. We typically have two people per shift scheduled and when there are 5 or less majority of the time we are used as pull people to float and help which we can have 1-5 tasks in a twelve hour period. My question is this, in Illinois is there an actual rule/law that is set up that this is breaking? There have already been many safety concerns and I would just like to be able to bring to the table finally if this is an illegal practice to care for patients with only one person when patients are involved. It's just been very hard to think about and I love this unit. Just can't continue to risk my license when the unknown is going to end up happening. Thanks in advance for any input!

[RainMom]

To my knowledge, no. Staffing is supposed to be based on acuity as determined by a facility committee (at least half of which should be staff nurses). In other words, anything goes; it's all based on a committee's perception of what is safe, probably not based on reality.

If I'm not interpreting the following correctly, someone please chime in!

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0401

[lynz06]

I guess it's just hard to fathom one person having so much responsibility...the safety of patients as well as my own personal safety for a twelve hour shift. I guess it will just take that one time for something serious to happen that it will change.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

As far as I know, California is the only state in the nation with mandated staffing ratios. I don't imagine any states have laws about the presence (or lack thereof) of aides and housekeeping staff. The POLICY in my hospital is that there were always 2 RNs on each unit, even if there was only one patient. But that was hospital policy not state law.

[RainMom]

We also have the "2 RNs on the floor" rule....HOWEVER, this has been overlooked many times recently on my floor when low census coincides with understaffing. Instead 1 RN & 1 LPN or CNA will work (usually if census is down to at least 6 pts).

[lynz06]

Yes. I used to work on different units in the hospital and we supposedly had a two staff at all time rule in place but don't understand why it's different in our unit. I didn't mean to throw housekeeping topic into the equation. My point was there is one person in a small secluded area where there's no place to yell for help if needed because no one would hear taking care of five patients alone. I guess it's just time to protect my license and leave this position and possibly the organization since safety has not been proven to be a high level of importance.