In 2015, Victoria became the first state in Australia to set minimum nurse to patient ratios in public hospitals via the Safe Patient Care Act (2015) which ensures that patients are provided the best nursing care possible.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s (RMH) Safe Patient Care Ratios are listed below, inclusive of the 10 March 2021 update. The next Safe Patient Care Act (2015) update comes into effect 1 July 2021.
RMH City Campus
Emergency department
| Additional to current specified ratios | |
| Afternoon shift | 1 nurse per 1 resuscitation bed |
| Night shift | 1 nurse per 1 resuscitation bed |
A mixed ward has two different nurse to patient ratios. This information will inform as to how many nurses can be expected to be a mixed ward.
RMH have a number of mixed wards within the service which include:
2B / Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
| Total maximum number of occupied beds | 34 |
General medicine patients in the ward
| Maximum expected number of occupied beds | 28 |
| Morning shift | 1 nurse to 4 patients 1 nurse in charge |
| Afternoon shift | 1 nurse to 4 patients 1 nurse in charge |
| Night shift | 1 nurse to 8 patients |
Coronary Care Unit patients in the ward
| Maximum expected number of occupied beds | 6 |
| Morning shift | 1 nurse to 2 patients 1 nurse in charge |
| Afternoon shift | 1 nurse to 2 patients 1 nurse in charge |
| Night shift | 1 nurse to 3 patients |
RMH Royal Park campus
Geriatric Evaluation Management (GEM) and the Rehabilitation Ward
| Current maximum occupied beds allocated to GEM | 15 |
| Morning shift | 1 nurse to 5 patients (GEM) 1 nurse to 4 patients (Secure GEM) 1 nurse in charge |
| Afternoon shift | 1 nurse to 6 patients (GEM) 1 nurse to 4 patients (Secure GEM) 1 nurse in charge |
| Night shift | 1 nurse to 8 patients GEM 1 nurse in charge |
Rehabilitation Ward
| Maximum occupied beds within Rehabilitation ward | 40 |
| Current maximum occupied beds allocated to Rehabilitation ward | 25 |
| Morning shift | 1 nurse to 5 patients 1 nurse in charge |
| Afternoon shift | 1 nurse to 5 1 nurse in charge |
| Night shift | 1 nurse to 8 patients 1 nurse in charge |