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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?

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Specializes in Critical-care RN.

... are you working in the DEEP SOUTH or MEXICO by some chance ?????

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No I am in Southern Virginia... If I were in Mexico or the deep South I would expect an experience like this but not in a main city in Virginia I am not even in the rural areas.

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No southern Virginia not even rural I am in one of the major cities

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

If you are willing to file a complaint/describe a specific incident or situation, call the state dept. of health. The hospital's ability to keep its doors open depends on licensing from the state, and they will respond more quickly than federal agencies. You'll need to describe a specific threat to patient safety, however, not the generalities of slipshod nursing practice.

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the State department is about the only place I haven't filed a formal compliant that was specific. Is there different "state" department regulations for Common Wealth states? I know that is prob stupid and I will go google but I went for JACHO for the accreditation reason and it seems to be doing little to nothing.. thanks I will update

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Joint Commission accreditation is different than state licensing. State department of health licensing is what allows the hospital to operate. If you have a serious, specific threat to patient safety to report, this is the way I would go. Google search "department of health xyz state". Many hospital websites also provide a link.

Please be mindful of possible career consequences. Your agency, while wanting to send nurses to assignments where sentinel events will not occur, also must operate in the reality of their business relationship with the facility.

Good luck to you - please keep us updated.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

- sorry in advance for the thread jack -

Why in the world does anyone believe that patient safety & quality are of lesser concern in the South????? Show me the evidence that is supporting these claims. Enough already with the prejudicial comments and unfounded prejudices based on geography. Sheesh. I thought nurses were critical thinkers.

BTW, my organization actually has acute care facilities in Mexico and Chile. These hospitals are staffed better than US hospitals. They have lower complication rates, including sepsis - than the US.

My state has a Safe Harbor program that offers protection to nurses - designed for just this sort of circumstance. Since WVA doesn't have one, you may want to investigate protections for whistle blowers who report patient safety issues.

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Specializes in Critical-care RN.

...well well, Mexico, Chile plus 19 others have a socialize health care programs !;)

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I think it really matters where in the south you are. I have done work in Africa, my brother and his wife have in Mexico/south America. I really did not mean to offend. I would just expect different resources and even different education/expectation regarding the exact standards I am used to. Not that I am saying NY standards are 100% the right way just I am sure If someone from Mexico came to NY they would be like really??? this is what they believe here? its cultural as much as it is locality and/or differences can even be seen right within the state between "poorer" areas or more "rural" areas.

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Thank you for the concern re: my career but I am considering everything that is why more precautionary asking what is currently going on if anyone has feedback etc.

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Why would you take them at their word that you will have to buy out your contract? Of course they'll tell you that. They want to scare you into staying!

Have you actually read the contract? Have they satisfied all their obligations as laid out in the contract? Do you think they would bother to take you to court to get you to pay?

in addition to what many others have said about this situation, please consider these things as well.

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