[Emmanuel Goldstein]

As a charge nurse, I was ultimately responsible for all that happened while I was in charge. It was a 33 bed onc unit with med/surg overflow, and as charge I received a pretty detailed report on all patients.

I was also responsible for staffing day shift and making their assignment, and for knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the staff that followed us. I was held accountable should I make an assignment beyond the scope of a nurse's abilities.

Although we were staffed according to patient census and NOT acuity, I was required to take acuity into account, and therefore the assignments were not 'equal' (but higher acuity did not equate to more staff). Some would have 2-3 patients, some up to 6 (or more) on day shift.

I took a full load of patients on my shift, was responsible for all chemos and transfusions (LPN"s could monitor after the I had hung and monitored the patient for the first 15 minutes), epidurals, IVIG's, etc., and also had to do full history and physical assessments on all admissions that came on my shift for those assigned to LPN's. Since I was most often the only RN working, essentially I did all new admits. We had no secretary after 7 pm, so I entered all orders.

I'm sure there was more, but I'm half asleep and besides, typing this out is depressing lol.

[head injury unit RN]

1---yes unfortunately i do have to take an assignment due to understaffing---tonight i was in charge with 3 patients (sometimes have 5 pt's) 2 of them were on vents.
2---yes i am responsible for taking off all orders, checking all labs, and placing any calls that need made to dr's,etc ---many many times with no secretary at all and if we do have one she is "shared" with the other unit and count as a staff member also (as far as staff/pt ratio goes)
3--- absolutely not---when i take off an order i make sure to tell that nurse of the new order and what she is to do--- she has a license herself and i should not need to baby- sit her/him --my job is hard enough already. any orders on my assigned pt's i carry out myself as should she/he when made aware of the order....