Experience

[JannockRn]

Hello Everyone: and discovered there hasn't been many discussions in the recent history.

I am at a facility as a traveling RN in an ICU where staffing ratios are 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1 on a regular basis. These are with complex patients, vented and with multifactorial problems (not PCU overflow or med/surg overfill). Staff does not get lunch breaks because there is no coverage. There is rarely if ever a tech or an aide on the unit to help out, no secretaries so RNs are also expected to answer phones/do all charts/orders etc. Equipment is at a bare minimum or often not functional. Currently it seems like there is more travel RN then regular staff do to a mass exit. I am being told by the state board that I would be held liable if an adverse even happens to a patient, I have tired addressing concerns with HR, Manager, Director, my travel company without any positive resolution. Now I am being told my my travel company that if I leave they will force me to buy out my contract which will be hundreds to thousands of dollars. I feel like I am in a rock and a hard place, I cannot afford the cost of leaving but feel like the cost of staying is possibly my license and is at a cost of my professional integrity. I have also tried other regulatory agencies i.e. JACHO, OSHA, HHS but they are telling me it could take months to process any complaint or follow up on the issues. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Is anyone else facing issues or in the past had issues or as a traveler been in this situation? What do you do?

[JannockRn]

Re: contract: the contract states that any traveler can be fined any fees associated with the contract or penalties assessed. I agree with you that they have an obligation to meet their side of the contract but I have left a contract in the past and had my last two paychecks held for "payment of these fees" even though the hospital I was in told me I could leave and the reason I left was I as being asked to forge Medicare documentation and was not being provided basic supplies i.e. PPE gowns in order to safely care for my patients. OSHA even came in and fined this institution as did Medicare (still working with them Re: documentation stuff) but the travel company states that "contracts don't work like that" - meaning it doesnt matter that they broke their side I still am held liable because they didn't "fire me" which is but even if they did fire me according to them the only way my contract would not have a fine is if the pulled me from an assignment for safety concerns- which as others have acknowledged never or rarely happens because the company want to preserve their relationship with the company

[TriciaJ, RN]

Clearly document all your concerns and send a copy to everyone you can think of: JCAHO, state licensing board, state board of nursing, your agency, etc. Let it be known you are accepting the assignment under protest, and will do everything in your power to protect patient safety but cannot be held responsible in such conditions. Let everyone know who else you've contacted. There's no getting improvement in your working conditions; you're into butt-covering at this point.

Then complete your contract if you see no way out of it (might be worth the legal fees to check) and never work for that travel agency again. Good luck!