REGISTERED AND ENROLLED NURSES FOR NURSE-TO-PATIENT RATIOS IN GENERAL WARDS AND IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1378
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 5 OCTOBER 2022

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang
MP for Nee Soon GRC

Question No. 3437

To ask the Minister for Health what is the current breakdown by (i) registered and (ii) enrolled nurses for the nurse-to-patient ratios in general wards and intensive care units respectively.

Written Answer

As shared with Mr Ng previously, the typical nurse-to-bed ratio for general wards in the public acute hospitals is one nurse for every four or five beds.  In the Intensive Care Units (ICU), the ratio is typically one nurse for each ICU patient and may be higher, such as two nurses for more complex ICU cases.   

The average skills mix proportion of nurses for these ratios is around 80% registered nurses and 20% enrolled nurses - the exact distribution will depend on the hospital’s clinical and operational needs, patient acuity and type of specialty settings.