The ratio of nursing staff to doctors in a community health center is 5:2. If there are 14 doctors currently working at the center, what is the total number of nursing staff?

1. A

   28

2. B

   35

3. C

   49

4. D

   70

Appeared in: NORCET 8 Prelims-2025

Explanation

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• The problem provides a ratio of nursing staff to doctors as 5:2.
• This means for every 2 doctors, there are 5 nursing staff members.
• Given there are 14 doctors, we can find the number of 'sets' of the ratio by dividing 14 by 2, which equals 7.
• To find the total nursing staff, multiply this number (7) by the nursing part of the ratio (5).
• Calculation: 7 * 5 = 35. Thus, there are 35 nursing staff members.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This is incorrect. 28 would be the answer if the ratio of nurses to doctors was 4:2 (or 2:1), as 14 doctors * 2 = 28 nurses.
• Option C: This is a calculation error. It might result from incorrectly multiplying 14 by a wrong factor, for example, 14 * 3.5 is 49, but the correct factor is 2.5 (5 divided by 2).
• Option D: This is an incomplete calculation. This number (70) is the result of multiplying 5 by 14, but the step of dividing by 2 is missed.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Infographic: A simple bar chart or pictograph visually representing the 5:2 ratio, showing 5 nurse icons for every 2 doctor icons, and then scaling it up to show 35 nurses for 14 doctors.

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing Ratio and Proportion in Healthcare Staffing helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• Understanding staff ratios is crucial for nurse managers in workforce planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.
• Maintaining appropriate staff-to-doctor and nurse-to-patient ratios is essential for ensuring patient safety, quality of care, and managing workload effectively.
• Staffing norms, such as those specified by the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), provide guidelines for minimum staffing in facilities like PHCs and CHCs, although the specific ratio in the question is hypothetical.

How to Approach the Question

• First, carefully read the question to identify the given information: the ratio (5 nurses to 2 doctors) and the known quantity (14 doctors).
• Recognize that this is a ratio and proportion problem.
• Set up an equation to represent the relationship: 5/2 = x/14, where 'x' is the unknown number of nurses.
• Solve the equation for 'x'. The most straightforward method is cross-multiplication: 2 * x = 5 * 14.
• Perform the calculation: 2x = 70, then x = 35.
• Compare your calculated answer with the given options and select the matching one.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Ratio and Proportion in Healthcare Staffing
• Stem keywords: ratio, nursing staff, doctors, community health center
• Lead-in keywords: what is the total number
• Clinical cues: The care setting changes urgency, monitoring level, and the expected nursing action.

Question ID

QKFAT1B10v-6M1JiEaPPYl

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