State-Mandated Nurse Staffing Levels Alleviate Workloads, Leads to Lower Patient Mortality

Nurses Union

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Specializes in PCCN.

sounds great to refuse the fifth pt- but that means then the nurse with the assignment going off with no one to report to is going to be mandated then, as, im sure, the upper levels know that we "can't abandon our patients"

What if you/me are that nurse that day??

They know they've got us all by the "snarkles"

I would love it though if the media was brought in. Might be worth losing the job over :)

lindarn

1,982 Posts

The charge nurse gets report on everyone. Refuse mandatory overtime. Call administration and get the DON to come and take care of patients. After all, they are nurses, if in name only.

Until nurses start to REFUSE, we will forever be taken advantage of. Again, start to contact the media, and get the public involved. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

allnurses Guide

herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

What many nurses do when their hospital violates the law: [COLOR=#003366]http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/...nsemar2309.pdf

The same information in a different format: [COLOR=#003366]http://nurses.3cdn.net/dfe19c41cd5c7a4ad3_nim6bxw3p.pdf

In my experience and that of friends hospitals do staff to the minumum ratio. They often fail to provide additional staff for higher acuity and/or do not provide an RN to take report and take over your assignment when you go on a meal or rest break. Where we are united they do the right thing for a while and then try again.

Nurses do get press:

Protestors say Glendale Memorial Hospital plans to lay off 41 employees - Glendale News-Press

Kaiser nurses picket in Vacaville, Vallejo over staffing issues - The Reporter

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Unfortunately, in today's society of gluttony and greed.....the hospitals and their million dollar NON MEDICAL CEO's can no longer be trusted, nor have the morality, to make decisions on behalf of the patients. Profit margins, exclusive benefits, huge bonuses have replaced caring about the patients while touting "satisfaction" surveys as the "Gold Standard". Most consumers of healthcare think that because they are "satisfied" with all the bells and whistles means that they are getting good care.

Years ago when I started...we had huge patient ratios. I know that the patients are "sicker" but I remember on nights, on a surgical floor there was 2 RN's, 2 aides, and maybe an LPN (IF the acuity was high) for 32 patients on nights. ON post op night #1 to 4 were brutal with all the NGT's, drsgs, and all patients had multiple drains. All chole's were open, all hysts were open. Multiple JP's and T-tubes were the norm.....not the exception. 12 pateints for drsgs, pain meds IV's and IV antibiotics.

We worked so hard as a profession at proving that staffing with RN's/LPN's meant healthier patients, shorter stays, and less complications. What happened to all that evidence? What happened to direct patient contact and care? What happened to primary care nursing?

There was a time I would not have supported nurses unionizing/collective bargain. Now, I believe it will be the only saving grace.

lkulmann

133 Posts

Me too. There are too many safety violations, labor law violations and incompetence in management...unions are essential for advocacy for healthcare workers and ultimately quality patient care.

tewdles, RN

3,156 Posts

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

The world of for profit health care, where profit matter more than patients.

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