[jeana]

i am a senior BSN student doing independent practicum on a med tely unit on a small island in the only civilian hospital which is very understaffed. Many of the RN are 2 years my senior. SOme of which charge. The newest RN is already charging he has been their at most 6 months. Is this normal? What are the ethical or legal implications for this?
Jeana

[bluesboyj]

Oh yes it's normal because nurses with less experience make less so it's more $ for the hospital. Legal? Probably. Ethical? Absolutely not. I've seen travel nurses do charge. I did a week charge on a 35 bed med floor 2 weeks out of school because the head nurse went on vacation and there were no other RNs to do the task. And at this place, LVNs couldn't take verbal or phone orders.

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Blues Forever

[Erbn Girl]

I have 11 months experience as a nurse working in a telemetry unit also. I have also been charge nurse on several occasions and it first started when I was employed about 6 months. I definitely did not like being put in that position either. We are not that small of a facility, since we have
265 beds but it happens everywhere. Legal, well....ethical....I'd say no! Definitely, no!