Abandonment

I work in a similar situation, and I refuse to leave the unit unless I'm relieved by another RN (e.g., the house super). All the other RNs feel v. free to leave their units and wander around the building (or go outside to smoke ... ) Where I come from :), it is abandonment to leave your assigned patients without being relieved by another RN, and even the nursing supervisors here acknowledge that that is the standard/law, and the other nurses are "just used to doing it that way." I've asked other RNs I know who work at the general hospital across the street (our sister facility) if they would ever consider just walking off the unit if they were the only RN there, and they are horrified at the v. idea. I've never encountered this phenomenon anywhere else in my career, other than this current facility. I don't know what these other RNs are thinking -- if anything ever went wrong while they were off the unit, they wouldn't have "a leg to stand on."

(PS -- I wonder if we're talking about the same facility?! haha)

just because "all the rn's seem to do it" doesn't make it right.check your policy and procedure manual. there may also be a state law about this as well. almost every place i ever worked had a policy that a licensed nurse had to be on the grounds at all times. in the acute hospitals i worked there often had to be an rn on a unit at all times. for me personally, i would think about the worse possible thing that could happen while i was off campus (code blue, suicide attempt). my license is worth more than a hamburger. i'd send the lpn out for the hamburger and tell him or her to take their time if they like. i did that a lot (sent the cnas for food) when i worked in ltc.