[barton]

Sophie,
We plan to include info about that bill in the column----thanks to you, we know about it!
Will you write for us? Let me know, OK?
Thanks!
barton

[Miss RNC]

I finally decided to bite the bullet. I emailed my 2 Senators and the Governor of Mississippi about these issues. I can hardly wait to see if I get a reply.

[barton]

And I read those letters-----they're fantastic!
I can't wait for the reply either!

[Ahn]

Just out of curiosity, what states are represented in the membership?

I live in Connecticut, but my heart is in Texas!

[Sophie]

I live in Calif. Where are the other writers from? Sophie

[barton]

Florida here! (hot, hot, hot and sweat, sweat, sweat----excuse me, "perspire") :-)

[Joe,RN]

Georgia here, or should I say "jawja"!

[Origcyn13]

Missouri here... I work north of the metro, live south...

------------------
Cyn...stiring the mix

[Linda, CCRN]

Tennessee here.

[anthing goes]

i am so glad i happened to find this site.
i work in the midwest and have been going
up the chain of command to voice concerns about unsafe staffing. I too have called Joint Commission and my state nursing association in order to find out how unsafe staffing can be documented. I was told by the Joint Commission that an annonymous complaint could be filed against the facility you work for. The person i talked to at joint assured me confidentiality would be maintained. They would then do an unannounced site visit based on the complaint. i work in a peds ICU and the nurse to patient ratio is appauling to say the least. Upper administration claims they are trying to hire and are unable to recruit nurses due to the "nursing shortage". (there is no active advertising in the local paper)
The floors are even worse. A patient of ours was transferred to the floor and was not seen by a nurse for 5 hours after arriving on the floor. My question is...Don't the physicians see this? and Are physicians putting the pressure on administration to hire nurses??
i would appreciate any other information for reporting and/or documenting short staffing. i am also wondering what the implications of "whistle blowing" is in terms of job protection.