Subacute Rehab nurse/patient ratio

NurseKatie08, MSN · Mar 24, 2009

yikes. we have 26 beds & three nurses/four aides on days/eves, 1 nurse and 2 aides on nights.

we do 8/9 pts:1 nurse during days & evenings, and even with that ratio and admissions, the floor is insane & call lights are ALWAYS going off.

not sure if my work is the norm...from what i've read about this type of floor, it seems to be the ideal.

achot chavi · Mar 24, 2009

I agree that you could use more staff, and in truth it all depends on how you are handling things, if the DON sees you sitting for coffee/cigarette breaks all the time then you can complain all you want and you will not get any help.

In your position, if you want to keep this job, I would do my best and one day I would keep a diary of everything I do every 10 to 15 minutes and then present it to the DON in a respectful manner and explain that you are too busy to provide safe and high quality care to the patients, you will need more help if they want to maintain the high standards that the facility is proud of. :twocents:

If they turn you down:banghead:, keep up the good work:nurse: and hopefully it will be rewarded.

BTW it takes a bit more than a month to get into a groove that will make things easier at work, have patience and give it your all. As a new LPN you still have skills and more to learn. I'm sure it will get easier- GOOD LUCK!!

NurssNicole · Mar 24, 2009

I work on a subacute rehab unit. On days and evening shifts, there are 3 LPNs and 2 RNs each taking 5 patients each. On night shift, there is one RN, one LPN, and one care aide. We have OT/PT aides to assist for am care, and one float care aide during day (6-10am). From the sounds of it, this is a good ratio compared to others?!

lpnflorida · Mar 24, 2009

Our subacute Rehab Hospital, the patient load is 6-8 patient for 1 nurse and 1 cna together as a team. It can be either LPN or Rn with the Cna or if one is primary up to 4 patients alone. The night ratio can be up 9 patients for 1 nurse and cna.

Nilansa6363 · Mar 24, 2009

I work on a rehab unit, with a ratio of anywhere from 16 to 20 to one nurse with 2 nursing assistants.

The acuity has gotten (med-surge) we handle everything from detox patients to wounds to head traumas, we take everything but vents. I have been a nurse for 17 years, I feel Im giving a poor quality of care.

Im trying to find out if this in fact is legal.

I have started keeping documentation of my duties and task expected, for fear I am going to lose my job,R/T

my inabilitly to get all my work done. I have been reprimanded 3 times in the past 2 months for poor performance, when prior to this increase in work load, I was a leader a mentor and had a spotless record.

Can anyone out there keep another nurse from leaving the field.

lpnflorida · Mar 24, 2009

hmm I think I need to add, I do not work in a LTC facility. I suspect that might be the difference in the nurse to patient ratios I have as opposed to what I call as ungodly large numbers of patients some of you are describing.

Yes, the two days last year I tried working on a rehab unit within a LTC facility the expected ratio 20 to 1 nurse with 3 cna's. I felt that was too much. I quit.

blueeyes87 · Mar 25, 2009

Yea I think just having an extra aide would help. And we would be able to get an extra nurse they said if the nurse that works the days shift wouldnt have 2 hours of overtime a day. It's frustrating because she always takes smoke breaks at least one an hour. And when I come on at 230 she hasn't charted on any of her patients yet. I have yet to have any overtime, and thats with me getting all the admissions. Well hopefully something will change soon.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 26, 2009

I work on a subacute rehab unit. On days and evening shifts, there are 3 LPNs and 2 RNs each taking 5 patients each. On night shift, there is one RN, one LPN, and one care aide. We have OT/PT aides to assist for am care, and one float care aide during day (6-10am). From the sounds of it, this is a good ratio compared to others?!

5 patients each in subacute? Nurses in acute care have more patients than that. I can't imagine only having 5.

girl.super11 · Apr 2, 2009

i work in geriatric ward ( saudi arabia,ministry of health)9 hrs/shift 10 patient in 1 or 2 nurse depends with available staff ,but all are stable patient.what they need is total nursing care.we don't have any assistant nurse, but during positioning of patient im asking their watcher(if available)to help me & they help.but years from now i have to resign from here planning to apply in other country i want to be with my family.god will guide me always.i love allnurses.com:bow: :yeah: :typing:redbeathe

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2009

When I did SAR, we had 1 RN, one LPN, 2 CNAs for 30 pts. The RN worked the desk, I (LPN at the time) did the floor.

CV-RN · Jun 22, 2010

I just arrived home from my job in longterm care on the night shift. There are four units but the facility will only provide three nurses so one of us must cover two floors. last night I had 25 residents on one floor and 43 on another. I am also required to supervise as I am the RN and my coworkers were both LPNs. I have searched everywhere trying to uncover what the legal nurse to client ratio is considered and have been unsuccessful. I love my residents but have no time to give much needed TLC along with dispensing medications, performing treatments and dealing with staff issues. Does anyone know where I can find a state by state listing of allowed ratios? I would like to find out if I am putting my license in jeopardy or asking LPN/RN coworkers to perform illegally by taking on too many clients. I worked very hard to earn my license and don't want to lose it by working for a short-sighted, budget conscious but foolish employer.