What are the staffing ratios in your state?

[Barras]

Hey all, California new RN grad here. Just wondering, if I have to move out of state to find a job, what are the patient to nurse ratios like in different states? Here in California, we have mandated maximum ratios. For example: Med-Surg is 5 to 1, Telemetry is 4:1, Stepdown is 3:1, ICU is 2:1, etc.

What are yours? And, if you have high ratios, how do you manage such a high volume of patients? Also, what is the salary range for your state vs. the cost of living?

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I guess I forgot to mention shift differentials. My neighbor and his wife work the night shift and get very nice bonus checks every 6 months, they also get the pay difference.

This is straight from the hospitals website;

"Retention Bonus for our critical to recruit areas: We reward our employees for

staying in shifts that hold the highest vacancy. These are the evening and night

shifts. An employee working the evening shift, 3:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., would

get 5% of the pay they have made within a 6-month period (April through

September and October through March). If the employee is working 11:00 p.m.

through 7:00 a.m., they would get 10% of the pay they made during those time

frames. Sign on bonuses are not offered.

Shift Differentials: Shift differentials are offered for evening and night shifts.

* Evening Shift differential = $1.90 (3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.).

* Night Shift differential = 10% of the employee's base pay plus

$1.75 (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.).

We do offer extra weekend pay that is time-and-a-half if you work an extra

weekend above your required scheduled weekend shift."