These two hats are wearing me down

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 10, 2012

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MJB2010 · Apr 10, 2012

What is the issue that has them all quitting? It needs to be addressed before all the nurses quit, too.

Reader007 · Apr 10, 2012

So due to varying circumtances, my floor has lost about 90% of our CNAs in the last couple of months and leadership has been slow to replace them.

And.....

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

so due to varying circumtances, my floor has lost about 90% of our cnas in the last couple of months and leadership has been slow to replace them.

certainly, i don't mean to offend you or anyone, but only two hats seriously?... at the facility where i work i have lost count on how many hats we nurses have to wear, for instance, these are some of the hats that we have to wear phlebotomist, iv nurse,cna, unit-clerk, ekg tech, resp.therapy, including drawing abg's, specially at night and during weekends when most of the staff calls out. having said that, i'm sure your nm is aware of your extra load of work, and i hope it doesn't go unnoticed when evaluation comes around...wishing you the best in all of your future endeavors...aloha~

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2012

Management and human resources are notorious for dragging their heels on these issues.

You are proving that you can manage without the CNA's.

You MUST present a united front with your fellow staff nurses and demand adequate replacement assistants.

Otherwise you will be doomed to provide all the care without them.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 11, 2012

admittedly, i'm one of the nm at the facility where i work, having said that, we are waiting on 6 cna's among other medical staff that has been approved to start orientation within 2 wks. however, in the meantime all nurses have to wear several hats till it's decided where these new employees will be placed. needless to say, we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2012

We are down 3 fulltime RNs right now. 1 has been off on sick leave for nearly 2 years- not replaced yet.

1 went to another unit at least 6 months ago - not replaced yet.

1 just went off on mat leave - which is 1 year in Ont - not replace yet.

And management wonders why we are short on many shifts???

The first two I could see - but the last one - they KNEW she was pregnant , they KNEW when her last day of work was - and they can't figure out that they need to replace her?? Seriously??

Sometimes I think that the first thing they do when they make someone a manager is to remove 1/2 of their brains/common sense.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 11, 2012

sometimes i think that the first thing they do when they make someone a manager is to remove 1/2 of their brains/common sense.

i couldn't agree with you more, however, there are some of us nm that have a good perspective on what truly goes on in their units and we work diligently trying our best to resolve the glitches to ensure that our nurses are not neglected. consequently, i'm the first one to roll my sleeves and work side by side with the staff when situations like the ones i previously posted. having said that, not many nm are willing to go the extra mile for their staff, like you stated it's just common sense, i don't ask anything that i wouldn't do myself on behalf of our patients :cool:

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2012

On my previous unit... 10 RNs have resigned since June (I was, thankfully, one of them). 6 (all new grads) have been hired since that time. 2 more have given notice in the past week and there are at least another 6 actively looking for new jobs. So in the next few weeks, they will be working with (at the very least) a net loss of 6 RNs in addition to having 6 brand new ones who (sorry new grads) are simply not capable of taking care of every patient we care for (mainly lacking chemotherapy and Nuclear Medicine certifications/competencies). As far as I know, the unit has no intentions of replacing the additional 6 who've gone. The snowball effect that's been in place since the first few people resigned is going to continue... people resign, they don't replace them, they overwork/burn out the staff they do have, remaining staff begin resigning and so it goes. That hospital is currently exclusively hiring new grads right now. Why? Because they're cheap. I'm glad I got out.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2012

i couldn't agree with you more, however, there are some of us nm that have a good perspective on what truly goes on in their units and we work diligently trying our best to resolve the glitches to ensure that our nurses are not neglected. consequently, i'm the first one to roll my sleeves and work side by side with the staff when situations like the ones i previously posted. having said that, not many nm are willing to go the extra mile for their staff, like you stated it's just common sense, i don't ask anything that i wouldn't do myself on behalf of our patients

i wish you were my manager. our manager is clueless!

recently, a psw came running into the nsg station and stated that pt a was on the floor. as several of us headed into the room - pt a was a bariatric pt so we all knew that this would require all hands on deck - our manger, who was in the nsg station was with us. then - she went into the staff bathroom , which was right next to this pts room - and did not come out until the pt was off the floor and in bed. thanks manager! really appreciated your support - not that you could have helped with your lovely high heeled, open toed shoes (that violate policy by the way).