[cherokeesummer]

I'm an OB nurse and we have been having 5 - 7 couplets per nurse (meaning 10-14 patients considering mom and baby each a patient) with 5 being more common and then you will get one to two admissions in the course of a shift, sometimes the assignment has a few moms only (if the baby is in nicu). That is very full for our unit. We do not usually have aides so that means we do our patient care plus pass and pick up meal trays, all vital signs, bed changes, etc. Sometimes we will get an aid and then we are super happy and will bend over backwards to thank our aides who are awesome when we do get them!

Its probably crazy everywhere, at least thats what I keep telling myself LOL!

[cherokeesummer]

Originally Posted by walda786

Nursing shortage is there not because the hospitals are unable to get nurses!!!!!!! Firstly, they are unable to keep nurses due to the high nurse patient ratio....they quit and go to some other speciality. Secondly, management wants to save money by not increasing the number of nurses per shift.

As new graduate nurse I have noticed the floor assignment for senior staff is less patient vs the new graduate nurses. Even if the new nurse stays longer to complete her/his assignment the management pays them less vs if a senior nurse would be paid for the overtime.

To me the shortage is a self created one....it is a money saving agenda vs nurse patient ratio.

Ditto ditto ditto ditto oh yeah did I say ditto? I do believe from what I've seen in my short (10 month) career as a nurse, that staffing deficiences are often self created b/c management (or someone anyway) doesn't want to spend the money to have x number of nurses on the floor. It stinks!