staffing

Yes, I believe there is a safe maximum that med-surg nurses can handle. I also think though that instead of mandating that it should be a parituclar number, one should look at the acuity of the patients. If you mandate 4:1 on day shift, and they are all walkie talkies, there no reason that person can't perhaps later in the shfit take a 5th. Or if the acuity is very very high, perhaps allowing a nurse to take 3:1 for the day isn't out of the question.

I live in a dream world I know, but Med-Surg nursing is tough and so dangerous with the ratios that are out there. We have a unit that routinely is taking 8:1 on day shift.

I don't know why a med-surg unit should be any different than any other unit, but yes, IMHO there should be staffing ratios. I also don't know what you mean by "mandatory". Sometimes it is necessary to close a unit if census is down. To protect nurse and patient though, a safe ratio ought to be in force.

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

Yes, I believe there is a safe maximum that med-surg nurses can handle. I also think though that instead of mandating that it should be a parituclar number, one should look at the acuity of the patients. If you mandate 4:1 on day shift, and they are all walkie talkies, there no reason that person can't perhaps later in the shfit take a 5th. Or if the acuity is very very high, perhaps allowing a nurse to take 3:1 for the day isn't out of the question.

I live in a dream world I know, but Med-Surg nursing is tough and so dangerous with the ratios that are out there. We have a unit that routinely is taking 8:1 on day shift.

My sentiments exactly.

There should be mandotory ratios on all floors and units. Staff and pt. safety doesn't stop on med/surg and having graduated to an intermediate care unit I am more and more for lower ratios. It's atrocious and most frustrating when you have more patients you can possible safely care for and when something goes wrong - we are left holding most of the full bag. Great to be a part of the bottom line - isn't it?