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Poll: So how big is your patient load

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Poll: How many patients do you handle at one time?

Deployed_dec_02_-_mar_03_083_max50

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Posted 18 days ago

 

I have two Nurse jobs.  One or Two at a time with one job and up to 27 at one time at another.  How about you?

Medmonkey_max50

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Rated: +1 | Posted 18 days ago

 

Your poll has a better array of choices than the one I posted asking for the same info a couple of months ago, Tim.


In dialysis we get 4 patients at a time. On 2 shift days we get 8 and on 3 shift days we get 12, but just 4 at a time for a 4 hour run. And that's enough.

Photo_user_blank_big

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Rated: +1 | Posted 16 days ago

 

The question is not how many patients at a time, but how sick are the patients and how much do you have to keep track of with each one?


4 dialysis patients sounds reasonable, unless one has problems such as the AV shunt bleeding. What are 2 shift days? and 3-shift days? Do you have 4 pts for 4 hours, then 4 more for another 4 hours, then 4 more until you have completed a 12 hour shift? How much time off do you get between shifts? Are you on call when not working?


 

Photo_052509_022_max50

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Rated: +1 | Posted 14 days ago

 

My unit is Oncology/Urology and Women's health. It's not unusual to start the night with 8 patients and get 2 or 3 admits. I've had as many as 11 patients at one time. That's pretty tough when you have post-hysterectomies on PCAs to monitor, you're administering chemotherapy and have 2 or 3 continuous bladder irrigations to watch and change. Some nights I don't think I will survive!

Picture_021_max50

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Rated: +1 | Posted 14 days ago

 

Home health here..........1 at a time.  When you finish one, ya go to the next one.


We only have one heart, take care of it!

Angie

Deployed_dec_02_-_mar_03_083_max50

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Rate This | Posted 14 days ago

 

angienwgeorgia says ...



Home health here..........1 at a time.  When you finish one, ya go to the next one.


 


My wife is an RN as well and she done home health in the south and loved it.  I would love to work this some day.  I imagine that the patients are much more comfortable in their own homes.


Rebel_alliance__star_wars__-_wikipedia__the_free_encyclopedia_max50

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Rated: +1 | Posted 14 days ago

 

Acuity does make a difference, I agree.  In our er, if working in the critical care/trauma area, 2 or 3 nurses share 7 rooms (5 CC & 2 Trauma/Resuscitation).  It gets a little hairy with 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 patients & the remaining nurse(s) is trying to keep up with the rest.  The other areas in the dept. where the patients are supposedly "not as sick" is typically 4 or 5pts to a nurse.  Then there's triage.  When you've used all of your fingers & toes counting & are halfway through your partner's, it's pretty much moot from there.

Photo_user_blank_big

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Rated: +1 | Posted 14 days ago

 

I work on a cardiac stepdown unit.  Some days I have four patients.  Other days I have five but an LPN will cover one of them, so I have to do assesment and IV push or PICC or central line stuff.  LPN does the rest. 

Photo_user_blank_big

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Rated: +1 | Posted 13 days ago

 

I work on a busy Med/Surg unit and Pt.'s are going in and out like a revolving door.   Some days you may start out with 6 Pt.'s and discharge 3, get a transfer from another unit, an admission from the OR and another one from the ER.  I have had 7 Pt.'s at one time on days like this.  It is rough.  You can also be transfusing blood to a Pt. during all of this too!!!   You are totally exhausted at the end of your 12 hour shift.  You keep your skills up, believe me!!!

Great_pictures__10__max50

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Rate This | Posted 11 days ago

 

I float, so it varies depending on where I go. I have 6 on some days, which is too much. The Observation unit where I've been lately usually has 4-5. If people start getting d/c'd, then management sends nurses and/or techs home. Naturally, ER gears  up  as soon as we do that, and we get slammed with back to back admits. I had 5 admits in one hour once. The LVN had 6 pts, the RN had 4, so I gave her 2 admits, and I as the charge nurse took 3 admits. I told ER to give me space between admits. They sent 2 at one time and another 30 min later. I was pissed. needless to say, none of my charge nurse stuff was done.


Claire Kruszka