Admissions Nurse

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

There is talk in my facility about creating a new position..an admissions nurse position. I am not sure I think it'd be a good thing. I already have problems with my team nurses thinking their job is just to pass meds and do treatments and if I have another nurse do all the admission assessments, it removes the team nurses even further from learning about the patient.

Do any of you have an admissions nurse? I'm curious as to what they do if there are no admissions. Are the hours flexible? Most of my admissions arrive after 3pm so it would make no sense to have a nurse 9-5 or even 10-6.

Any comments welcomed.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

How about make them 3-7 shifts....In which they could process orders and admissions if they come. They could help with things that day shift has not been able to get to. This is a hard shift to fill because no one wants it....but if admits only come after 3, it might work.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

On Fridays, 4 admissions on one unit is not uncommon. A 4 hour shift wouldn't get it all done. I'm thinking that I'll take the extra hours they want to give me in the nursing budget and use them where I want.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

The LTACH I worked had an admissions nurse 2p to 10p.....she did administrative stuff on days there were no or slow admits like chart checks MAR checks, care plan compliance, documentation stuff. It worked well.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

CapeCod Mermaid,

Would you mind if I chimed in?.I'm not a DON/ADON but can speak from the perspective of a floor nurse in LTC regarding admissions.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

chime in! All suggestions welcome!

[amoLucia]

Last place I worked , the admissions nurse was thought of as a 'spare tire' by the nurses, staff and administration'. Freq she was pulled off admissions to cover absences. Of course, the 3-11 floor nurses whined that they got stuck with the admissions (their own fault, but they didn't see it). Eventually the position was phased out 'due to budget', as staff was told.

Sad thing was that that adm nurse was TERRIFIC at admissions - pt assessments, orders, PAPERWORK, most of the little things that get lost, she looked ahead for 11-7 and 7-3 things, etc.

We were always being slammed with admissions, so to have a dedicated 'admissions position' was beneficial, because when the floor staff had to cover the admissions PLUS their regular floor tasks, things were scrambled.

I believe that with CCM in charge, the position would be utilized appropriately, but only she knows what works best for her facility.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

CapeCod Mermaid,

Would you mind if I chimed in?.I'm not a DON/ADON but can speak from the perspective of a floor nurse in LTC regarding admissions.

Chime away...I'd welcome your opinion.

[LindaB73]

I work in a facility that has one. Her hours are 12-8:30 M-F. Somehow she convinced administration she should only do two admissions a shift - after that the charge nurse has to do them.

It is a great position to have but causes a lot of animosity where I work

[LTCRN4LIFE]

I had one. She was to do admissions, discharges and new orders. I had the same thing as you.....hospitals emptying out on Fridays. Though not uncommon other days to have 2 - 3 admissions and a discharge or 2. There are days when I have none too. So was hard to justify those hours totally being spent that way. I do have a Supervisor who works half of the eve shift and half of the night shift. She does the admissions that come on her time. The Nurses also do them. My admission Nurse was put in another Management position as it was open and she was more than capable.

[kmarie724]

We have an admissions nurse. She works 12-2030. On days there are no admissions, she works on quarterly/annual assessments, weekly wound assessments, helps out on the floor if needed, processes new orders or anything else that might need to be done. If there really is nothing going on, she may leave early.

I am a floor nurse and I love that we have an admissions nurse. I already have my day full with meds, txs, charting, calling MDs and whatever else comes up. So to not have to spend 45 minutes doing an admission assessment on top of everything else is great.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

On Fridays, 4 admissions on one unit is not uncommon. A 4 hour shift wouldn't get it all done. I'm thinking that I'll take the extra hours they want to give me in the nursing budget and use them where I want.

It probably wouldn't. That's a lot for one nurse. I shake my head at the place I used to work...a 3-11 shift with 26 beds and a normal of 2 admits if the beds rolled over and they still would write us up for OT.

I am so glad I found a twelve hour shift job. I can get my work done with only occasionally getting out late. Good luck to you!