I am an RN working as a project manager to build a new hospital. I am looking for any regulations or standards that dictate the level of staffing for Inpatient Dialysis patients. Kay.Stodd@kp.org

Kay,
I do not know what state you are in to give you a clear answer, but the standard (Minimum I should say) 1 RN for every 12 patients and 1 Pct for every 4. Different states have different guidelines, and not all companies are fixed as closely on there TAP as others.

I think this would not be more a chronic staffing mix than acute. Inpatients are a higher acuity, so you would need a higher nurse to patient ratio.

Pick-up a copy of the latest CMS requirements, all your questions will be answered.

The program I work in currently staffs both an acute and outpt unit. Staff rotate between the 2 to keep up their skills because all rotate taking call so coverage is available 24/7. Call is 1RN and 1 tech together. On the acute unit we staff 1 staff person/2 patients.(without secretarial help, so staff also perform those duties) Hours of operation are M-Sat, 6-1630 So 1 RN and 1 tech could have 4 patients. But, this varies depending on the acuity. The acuity varies. Some patients have chest tubes, ng tubes, on cardiac monitors, heparin drips to be titrated etc. The RN does spend quite amt of time coordinating treatment times around other diagnostic testing or surgery the patient may be having, obtaining & administering meds, meals, reviewing new orders, labs, etc. If a patient is in the ICU or vented, in the ER, etc then 1 RN goes to the patients room to do the treatment.

If the inpt census is high, then more staff is sent and if it is down, then staff go to the outpt unit to help there.

We are a major medical center for the area and the only one with an inpt dialysis unit with patients coming from great distances, up to a 4 hr drive in some cases.