[Anonymous]

What is the Patient to Nurse ratio in the PACU? General, spinal, MAC, local etc. Thanks!

[cassioo]

we are 1:1 usually there's enough staff when pt first rolls through the door several jump in to hook up monitors etc and the main nurse does the paperwork. I just do PACU after sections in L&D we're 1:1 all the time (after we just labored and circulated the c/s also then we get the recovery)

[AvidExplorer]

LOL!! I guess it depends where you are. In AL, we don't even have 1:1 in PACU on CRITICAL patients!!!! Usual is 2:1, unless you are the late person, then maybe 3 or 4, a pre-op, etc. It can get dicey.

[behawkins5]

This is why I quit PACU nursing. I loved the job...but you really have to do it full time, and you really have to be willing to trust your instincts...a lot. When they bumped the ratio up from 1:1 to 2 and 3:1, I was done. A PACU patient can turn sour in a big bad way when you least expect it...how can you safely take care of that patient when you are upstairs giving report on your other patient? It got to be so taxing, I cut my hours to part time, then per diem, then not at all...because not being there, I had to stop and THINK...and puzzle over drugs and EKG rhythms I once new cold. Time to get out.

I'm now a school nurse and LOVE my job. NO nights, NO on call, NO holidays, No Weekends.

And yes, the pay sucks...but it's okay, the reduced stress more than makes up for it.

Erica