Nurse-to-patient ratios: 1:5-7 on days, 1:6-8 on nights
Common patient types include pneumonia, UTI, AMS, GI bleed, alcohol withdrawal, and falls/weakness
RNs may titrate drips with exceptions; no cardiac drip titration
Common titratable or set-rate drips include heparin, bumex, and lasix
Charge nurse coverage: 2 on day shift; charge nurse takes an assignment. At night, if only 1 charge nurse is scheduled, they do not take an assignment
Patient care tech ratio is 1:10-12 on average, but may be higher
PCT duties include vitals, BGM’s, EKG’s, applying heart monitor, bathing, feeding, toileting, turning, and positioning
Respiratory therapy administers breathing treatments, inhalers, ABGs, and manages BiPap, Cpap, and high flow O2
Nurses are not expected to read or interpret telemetry strips
Floating and shift pull rotation may include other MedSurg, MedSurg-Tele, or IMC units for lower-acuity patients
Schedule is made by the manager, with flexibility around requested time off
If working rotating shifts, schedules are typically 2 weeks of days and 2 weeks of nights
Orientation includes 1 day with educator/computer system and 1 day with a preceptor