The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 which came into effect on 23 December 2015, established minimum staffing levels for nurses and midwives to ensure safe and quality care for patients. On 6 March 2019, updates to the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Regulations 2015 were introduced, which included improved ratios, the establishment of new ratios across a range of clinical settings, and other operational refinements.
Safe Patient Care Act
Wonthaggi Hospital
We provide inpatient care in several wards and departments. Nurses and Midwives are essential to ensuring quality and safe care.
Within all our wards our Nursing and Midwifery ratios at Wonthaggi Hospital comply with the minimum staffing levels as per the Safe Patient Care Act 2015.
We will provide additional staff or roster above the ratios, when it is deemed a requirement to provide safe and quality care. (Act number 51 | 2015 Version 011)
We provide inpatient care in our Acute ward for: Patients who need to stay overnight with medical and surgical conditions.
Name of the mixed ward: Kodowlinun
The total number of occupied beds: 32
The different ratios that apply in the Acute ward - medical and surgical
Morning Shift (7.00am – 3.30pm)
1 Nurse: 6 patients
1 Registered Nurse as EFT 300
1 Nurse in charge
Close Observation Beds
1 Nurse: 2 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.00pm – 9.30pm)
1 Nurse: 7 patients
1 Nurse in charge
Close Observation Beds
1 Nurse: 2 patients
Night Shift (9.00pm–7.30am)
1 Nurse: 10 patients
Close Observation Beds
1 Nurse: 2 patients
The expected number of occupied beds in medical/surgical/COB = 32
We also provide inpatient care in Sub-Acute care in Armitage House consisting of:
- Patients requiring Geriatric Evaluation Medicine (GEM) and rehabilitation programs
- Patients requiring Palliative care
Name of the mixed ward: Armitage House
The total number of occupied beds: 24
The different ratios that apply in Armitage House - One nurse in charge on each shift
Geriatric Medicine/Rehabilitation
Morning Shift (7.00am–3.30pm)
1 Nurse: 5 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.00pm – 9.30pm)
1 Nurse: 5 patients (Rehab)
1 Nurse: 6 patients (GEM)
Night Shift (9.00pm–7.30am)
1 Nurse: 6 patients
The expected number of occupied beds in GEM/rehab = 22
Palliative
Morning Shift (7.00am–3.30pm)
1 Nurse: 4 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.00pm–9.30pm)
1 Nurse: 4 patients
Night Shift (9.30pm–7.30am)
1 nurse: 10 patients
The expected number of occupied beds in Palliative = 2
We provide Maternity care for:
- Women and their babies requiring antenatal or postnatal care (before and after the birth of their baby)
- Women who are delivering their baby following a low-risk pregnancy.
Name of the mixed ward: Maternity Unit
The total number of occupied beds: 2 Ante/post-natal plus 1 Birthing Suite
The different ratios that apply in the Maternity Unit
Ante/post Natal
Morning Shift (7.00am–3.30pm)
1 midwife to 4 patients
Afternoon Shift (1.00pm–9.30pm)
1 midwife to 4 patients
Night Shift (9.00pm–7.30am)
1 midwife to 6 patients
The expected number of occupied beds in Ante/Post Natal = 2
Birthing Suite
Staffed as per Safe Patient Care Act 2015 (Section 31):
2 for all shifts
The expected number of occupied Birthing suites = 1
Leongatha and Korumburra Hospital
For Regional Care Group Leongatha & Korumburra mixed wards, the new staffing ratios apply to ensure appropriate care across different patient needs. These changes reflect the government's ongoing commitment to maintaining a high standard of patient safety and quality care.
The table below shows the number of nurses that are in a mixed ward. A mixed ward has two or more different nurse to patient ratios. This information will inform our patients how many nurses they can expect to be within either of our mixed ward based on projected occupancy and case mix.
Declared Beds: 14
Average palliative occupancy applied to mixed ward calculation: 0.17 palliative beds
(Acute 13.83 + Palliative 0.17)
Ratios applied:
Acute: AM 1:6, PM 1:7, ND 1:10;
Palliative: AM 1:4, PM 1:4, ND 1:6.
Shift AM
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall): 2.31 + 0.04
Total raw: 2:35
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:5.96
Rounded nurses: 3
Final staffing: 4 (inc. in-charge)
Shift PM
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall): 1.98 + 0.04
Total raw: 2.02
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:6.92
Rounded nurses: 3
Final staffing: 4 (inc. in-charge)
Shift ND
Raw nurses (Acute & Pall): 1.38 + 0.03
Total raw: 1.41
Mixed ratio (beds:nurses): 1:9.93
Rounded nurses: 2
Final staffing: 2
Calculation Method:
Mixed ward unique ratio calculated under s.12A of the Safe Patient Care Act, with rounding applied at Step 4 in accordance with s.12.
Births in last 12 months: 151
Active Birth Suites: 1
Midwives rostered
AM 2 Midwives
PM 2 Midwives
ND 1 midwife on-site plus 1 midwife on-call
Staffing aligns with maternity provisions within the Safe Patient Care Act for services with fewer than 500 births per annum.
Declared Beds: 30
Breakdown: 1 Acute, 8 GEM/TCP, 1 Palliative, 20 Aged Care
Ratios Applied:
Acute: AM 1:6, PM 1:7, ND 1:10
Palliative: AM 1:4, PM 1:4, ND 1:6
GEM/TCP: AM 1:5, PM 1:6, ND 1:8
Aged Care: AM 1:7, PM 1:8, ND 1:15.
Shift AM
Raw Nurses: 4.86
Rounded Clinical: 5
In-charge: +1
Final staffing: 6 (inc. in-charge)
Shift PM
Raw Nurses: 4.19
Rounded Clinical: 5
In-charge: +1
Final staffing: 6 (inc. in-charge)
Shift ND
Raw Nurses: 2.56
Rounded Clinical: 3
In-charge:
Final staffing: 3
Calculation Method: Unique ratio calculated by dividing total beds by total raw nurses per shift. Rounding applied in accordance with s.12 of the Act.
Kooweerup Hospital
Kooweerup Hospital provides inpatient care in the Westernport Unit, an integrated unit consisting of residential aged care, transition care, respite and level 4 acute beds. Ratios within the Westernport Unit comply with the minimum staffing levels as per the Safe Patient Care Act. We will provide additional staff or roster above the ratios, when it is deemed a requirement to provide safe and quality care.
Name of the mixed ward - Westernport Unit
The total number of occupied beds - 28
The different ratios that apply in the Westernport Unit
Acute Medical
Morning Shift (7.00 am – 3.30 pm)
1 nurse: 6 patients. One nurse in charge
Afternoon Shift (1.30 pm – 10.00 pm)
1 nurse: 7 patients plus 1 nurse as EFT
300 provision.
One nurse in charge
Night Shift (9.00 pm – 7.30 am)
1 nurse: 10 patients.
The expected number of occupied
beds in Acute medical = 8
Residential Aged Care
Morning Shift (7:00am – 3:30pm)
1 nurse: 7 patients
Afternoon Shift (1:30pm – 10:00pm)
1 nurse: 8 patients
Night Shift (9:30pm – 7:30am)
1 nurse: 15 patients.
The expected number of occupied
beds in Residential aged care = 20