Staffing in a medical high dependency unit

Posts: 1 · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1

I would appreciate some help and advice from anybody with relevant skills in a medical high dependency unit.

Our unit has 3 beds and is combined with a 4 - 5 bedded coronary care unit.

Can anybody give me any evidence for staffing levels of this unit ? We generally have 3 medical high dependency patients, 4 coronary care patients and a chest pain assessment trolley.

The staffing levels for intensive care stipulate a 1 : 2 ratio for high dependecy patients but when this is a 3 bedded unit it makes it very difficult. With the staffing levels the Trust are setting - it will mean that we can only achieve 3 trained nurses and 2 HCA's on a morning, 2 trained nurses and 2 HCA's on an afternoon and 3 trained nurses and 1 HCA on a night duty.

Can anybody advise whether the 1 : 2 ratio has to be trained nurses or can this be 1 trained and 1 HCA ???

I would appreciate any comments on this please

Carey