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The first four hours there was a float nurse, but she was floating for 15 rooms. Also a couple of techs for the whole ER. The other nurses had 4 rooms each. They told me that the "team" I had was bad, but I didn't have the guts to say "why give it to me then"
A couple of nurses did say that agency almost never comes back after their first trip there.
It wasn't the worst place I've ever been, but I'm miffed that they gave me the "worst" team.
Probably did it to see if I could handle it.
Every where else I have been it was 4 pts only.
It is common for personnel to assign the bad assignments to agency nurses. These mgmt personnel do not use their heads. They are well aware that agency nurses won't come back to a place where they are treated poorly. They also know that agency nurses get a good look at their facility and form opinions on whether they would care to work there as permanent staff. They are also aware that they go back to their agency and tell the agency staff how they were treated and what working conditions are like. So why do they do this to agency nurses? It probably has something to do with why they are shortstaffed to begin with. Facilities that treat their employees well, through word of mouth, are pretty much well staffed without having to go to staffing agencies.
Expected to have 7 patients (at one time) in the ED I now work. Left the old place because of the patient loads and now have it worse. Guess I'm going to have to start looking again. No, you shouldn't be expected to have 7-It is way too dangerous for the patients and your license. I don't know about you; but, I am expected to take care of the ICU & high need patients in that mix of 7 (no matter how many of them turn out to be critically ill).
gonzo1, ASN, RN
1,739 Posts
Went to a hospital for agency gig today that I have never been to before. Got assigned to 7 rooms. Does that seem like a little much? Even med-surg nurses usually have only 6, right?
Almost kept up. The staff was helpful, but a couple of nurses said that agency nurses almost never come back.
Do you think that 7 is a little much?