ICU Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Ratios
In Massachusetts, all hospitals that operate intensive care units are required to report their quarterly ICU-registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, effective with the first quarter of 2016 (January to March). HPC Regulation 95 CMR 8.00 to Implement the ICU Nurse Staffing Law was signed into law by then Governor Patrick on June 30, 2014.
Hospitals with ICUs must report the following information quarterly:
• Type of ICU
• Average daily patient census
• Average daily nurse census
• Average daily staff nurse-to-patient ratio
The law provides in part that “in all intensive care units the patient assignment for the registered nurse shall be 1:1 or 1:2 depending on the stability of the patient as assessed by the acuity tool and by the staff nurses in the unit, including the nurse manager or the nurse manager’s designee when needed to resolve a disagreement.” The law became effective on September 28, 2014.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s ICU Staffing
| Reporting Period | Name of ICU | Type of ICU | Average Daily Patient Census | Average Daily Staff Nurse Census | Average Daily Staff Nurse-to-Patient Ratio |
| Apr – Jun 2020 (Q2/2020) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 6.132 | 3.896 | 1 Nurse to 1.574 ICU Patients Resumed reporting 5/25/20-6/30/20 |
| Jul – Sep 2020 (Q3/2020) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 4.283 | 3.454 | 1 Nurse to 1.240 ICU Patients |
| Oct – Dec 2020 (Q4/2020) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.326 | 3.814 | 1 Nurse to 1.396 ICU Patients |
| Jan – Mar 2021 (Q1/2021) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.844 | 4.098 | 1 Nurse to 1.426 ICU Patients |
| Apr – Jun 2021 (Q2/2021) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.659 | 4.127 | 1 Nurse to 1.371 ICU Patients |
| Jul – Sep 2021 (Q3/2021) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.272 | 4.066 | 1 Nurse to 1.297 ICU Patients |
| Oct – Dec 2021 (Q4/2021) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 6.652 | 4.462 | 1 Nurse to 1.491 ICU Patients |
| Jan – Mar 2022 (Q1/2022) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 6.067 | 4.471 | 1 Nurse to 1.357 ICU Patients |
| Apr – Jun 2022 (Q2/2022) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 4.912 | 3.105 | 1 Nurse to 1.582 ICU Patients |
| Jul – Sep 2022 (Q3/2022) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.174 | 3.409 | 1 Nurse to 1.518 ICU Patients |
| Oct – Dec 2022 (Q4/2022) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 6.424 | 4.116 | 1 Nurse to 1.561 ICU Patients |
| Jan – Mar 2023 (Q1/2023) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.667 | 4.533 | 1 Nurse to 1.250 ICU Patients |
| Apr – Jun 2023 (Q2/2023) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 4.341 | 4.108 | 1 Nurse to 1.057 ICU Patients |
| July – Sep 2023 (Q3/2023) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.304 | 3.355 | 1 Nurse to 1.581 ICU Patients |
| Oct – Dec 2023 (Q4/2023) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.239 | 4.934 | 1 Nurse to 1.062 ICU Patients |
| Jan – Mar 2024 (Q1/2024) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.787 | 4.132 | 1 Nurse to 1.401 ICU Patients |
| Apr – Jun 2024 (Q2/2024) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.824 | 3.632 | 1 Nurse to 1.604 ICU Patients |
| July – Sep 2024 (Q3/2024) | Critical Care Unit | General Med/Surg | 5.130 | 3.966 | 1 Nurse to 1.294 ICU Patients |