From Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice 8th edition
"Unsafe Nurse-to-Patient Ratio
A pattern of unsafe nurse-to-patient ratio can be caused by staffing problems, be they temporary or longer term.
A series of actions to best resolve the problem includes:
Address this unsafe situation verbally and in writing to the nurse unit charge nurse with copies to the nursing supervisor and director of nursing.
This will likely prompt action by the hospital, such as creating an as-needed pool of nurses to call for such situations, hiring more staff or, in the interim, securing contracts with outside nursing agencies and utilizing agency nursing personnel.
Tolerance by staff nurses employed under such circumstances will preclude appropriate resolution and will leave the nurse open to unsafe practice and unmet patient needs, potentially increasing the risk of liability.
[*]Although the employer is liable for the acts of the employee performed within the scope of employment, the nurse will not be exonerated should a patient's care be compromised in a setting of an unsafe nurse-to-patient ratio."
Stood out like a sore thumb while perusing chapter 2
My summary " If you tolerate poor ratios and don't say anything, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM! :trout:
I noticed it stops far short of suggesting ratios.
