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Staffing, in the hospital's own words

ICU Nurse-to-Patient Ratios, From Hospitals' Own Postings

174 jobs open today in 39 states. The ratio each open intensive care (ICU) nursing job's own posting states for its unit, quoting the hospital's sentence, so you can compare what ICU units say they staff to before you apply. Of the newest 150 of the 174 postings here, 1:2 is stated most often (77), then 1:1 to 1:2 (23) and 1:1 to 1:3 (16). Read every night from the employers' own job boards, each quoting its posting.

Median posted pay $46.89/hr (20 jobs that state an hourly rate)Updated 9 Nov 2026, 09:24 UTC

Which states set ICU staffing by law

  • California: ICU nurse-to-patient ratio

    California critical care units must keep a licensed nurse for every two patients or fewer, at all times.

    “The licensed nurse-to-patient ratio in a critical care unit shall be 1:2 or fewer at all times.” Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22, § 70217(a)(1) (source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22, § 70217(a)(1))

  • Massachusetts: ICU nurse-to-patient ratio

    Every Massachusetts intensive care unit must assign each registered nurse one or two patients depending on stability.

    “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” M.G.L. c. 111, § 231 (source: M.G.L. c. 111, § 231)

  • New York: ICU nurse-to-patient ratio

    New York hospitals must assign at least one registered nurse for every two patients needing intensive or critical care.

    “There shall be a minimum of one registered professional nurse assigned to care for every two patients that an attending practitioner determines to require intensive or critical care.” 10 NYCRR § 405.22(a)(5) (source: 10 NYCRR § 405.22(a)(5))

  • Oregon: Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios

    Hospital nurse staffing plans must ensure unit ratios such as 1:2 in intensive care and 1:4 in medical-surgical units.

    “In a medical-surgical unit, a direct care registered nurse is assigned to no more than four patients.” ORS 441.765(2)(j) (source: ORS 441.765(2)(j))

Each from the state's own code or regulations. Other states set a staffing committee or public reporting instead: every state's law.

Newest ICU nursing jobs stating their ratio

The newest 150 of 174, newest first, each with the sentence its posting offers it in.

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Employers with ICU nursing jobs stating their ratio

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Frequently asked questions

How many ICU nursing jobs stating their ratio are open?

174 open today, at 34 employers in 39 states, the most in Texas (30), California (12), Washington (12). Each row quotes the sentence its posting offers it in.

How much do these jobs pay?

20 of them state an hourly rate, with a median of $46.89 an hour (the middle of each posted range). The ratio is the unit's own statement in its posting; pay is the posted range.

Which employers have ICU nursing jobs stating their ratio?

The employers listed on this page: each has ICU nursing jobs stating their ratio open today, read from its own job board.

What nurse-to-patient ratio do ICU units state?

Of the newest 150 of the 174 postings here, 1:2 is stated most often (77), then 1:1 to 1:2 (23) and 1:1 to 1:3 (16). Each row quotes its hospital's own sentence; a unit's ratio moves with its patients' acuity, so ask at the interview.

Which states have a ICU nurse-to-patient ratio law?

California (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22, § 70217(a)(1)), Massachusetts (M.G.L. c. 111, § 231), New York (10 NYCRR § 405.22(a)(5)) and Oregon (ORS 441.765(2)(j)), by their own code: California critical care units must keep a licensed nurse for every two patients or fewer, at all times. Every Massachusetts intensive care unit must assign each registered nurse one or two patients depending on stability. New York hospitals must assign at least one registered nurse for every two patients needing intensive or critical care. Hospital nurse staffing plans must ensure unit ratios such as 1:2 in intensive care and 1:4 in medical-surgical units. Other states set a staffing committee or public reporting instead of numbers.