if you could describe a “perfect shift” what would you describe? this is my fantasy and if you are going to dream might as well as dream big.
1. there would be no call offs. all the assigned staff would show up ready to do their job.
2. all the employee’s on the unit would be hospital employee’s familiar with policies and procedure, or at least be agency staff extremely familiar with policies and know where all the stock is kept.
3. the supply stock would actually have what it should and we would not be out of anything. also nothing would be on back order.
4. there would only be 4-5 patients for every nurse and at least 2 would be walkie talkies, fairly stable, or at the very least be able to turn over and feed themselves.every nursing assistant would have less then 10 patients.
5. every nurse and nursing assistant would work as a team and assist one another with baths, vital signs, and i & o's.
6. any patient that is medically unstable with a high acuity would have a nurse with no more than the described patient load in # 4 above.
7. management would all come in to work wanting to be team players and would come help on the floor if needed and not act as if it was a burden.
8. everyone would get two 15 minute breaks and one full un-interrupted 30 minute lunch break.
9. call lights would only go off for real patient needs, no fluff my pillow-bend my straw-change the tv channel requests.
10. the med cart would actually have every single ordered medication on it for my shift and i would not have to hunt, beg, run to pharmacy, or get an order for any medication “not on our formulary.” i would actually be able to do a med pass without a single interruption and in the assigned time limits.
anyone care to fantasize with me on the perfect shift?
p.s. one more thing, doctors would actually say "thank you."
