I'm currently writing my dissertation (3rd year adult nursing student) on the impact of patient nurse ratio in the UK, and have been researching around Australia and California where there are legally mandated Patient nurse ratios, however, I haven't been able to find any research or evidence regarding what happens when there's a sudden influx of patients who need to be admitted to hospital, and the patient nurse ratio is at it's limit- do the hospitals turn people away and reroute ambulances? Do they sacrifice the patient nurse ratio and use temporary beds? Do they send patients to unsuitable specialties to maintain the PNR? Any evidence, ideally in the form of a study/academic research would be outstanding, thank you
ya, in emergency situation hospitals have plan to meet their requirements,
and patients nurse ratio will increase, and sometimes they took help from relax wards and send nurses to doctor to emergency or ICU for prompt response
In my experience, absolutely nothing happens. The hospital administrators will staff the units with the minimum, leaving no room for admits, change in patient status, or emergencies. When we get out of ratio, we fill out a form, and nothing happens.
Ministries of health in every country will have policy regarding staffing and admissions which guides hospitals staffing and admissions especially public hospital. In an emergency situations such as the covid-19 pandemic, hospital staff usually go the extra mile to serve lives while hospita management put in measures to improve the staffing situation
Nothing changes. Patients are still cared for. Triage is key in emergencies, many can be transfered to where needed. And wards that are less busy, nurses from there are sent in
i have been through this kind of experience for many years when I worked in cardiac ward settings. sometime I had been overloaded like 8-10 patients per shift. for me, I had to work in a rush, made swift decision which sometimes I did mistake because every patients need a faster treatment. I worked in private settings whereby they expected us to be fast. honestly, I did not feel satisfied in giving care to patients, less time spent and I just did whatever I could do in order to finish the worker faster. 8 hours per shift can be deadly tiring
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