12/3: Aggravation and Agreements

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Hi everyone!

With the holiday week at a close where I virtually did not work, I ended up having a busy week capped with six days straight of working, with boarding critical patients, critical kids and trauma and tragedy, to new strategies for my practice with Trauma patients to getting a tentative agreement for our first contract.

From the previous Saturday to Thursday I worked six 12s in a row; our staffing was that bad; made sure I remained hydrated and slept well...I slept well enough to make this posting and recharge, while having some me time while holiday shopping and the Christmas Tree going up prior to my 72-hour stretch.

I also had to attend a Trauma update and successfully was able to squeeze that in along with an emergency negotiations for our first contract on Friday where on Wednesday there was a chance we were going to vote to go in strike-and I was ready for it-from allowing ICU patients to be included in normal ratios for our boarding patients would be a driving force for me to walk out even if my coworkers couldn't possibly do so because economically they couldn't miss a day-our wages are so suppressed that people may or may not risk waking out because they need to ensure economically they can survive; we were aware of this; however there was a good chance that we could still walk out because of the major staffing problems that were going on that was too hard to ignore; even to the point doctors and nurses have teamed up; the pressure was in and continues to go on to safe staffing and quality care.

Our hospital organized an informational picket; an informational picket is a way for nurses to come together and let hospital administration know that we can be organized in order to fight a common cause-known as patient safety.

And patient safety is not that simple-it comes down to safe staffing, meeting with nurses and admin to ensure that quality care is being met, and staff retention is ensured as well as quality candidates will be able to join the hospital; the has to be a goal of quality care involving labor in order to ensure retention; placing professionals in scenarios where the increased risk of morbidity and mortality is something we cared about when forming the union; to find out that we were grossly underpaid was a discovery that happened along the way, but the issue was the same-it is NOT professional to take assignments where one is not trained and deemed competent, nor is it professional to have an assignment where care suffers, and it's even more unprofessional that administration thinks that they can get away with it.

The administration heard us loud and clear; although they tried through food and beverage to "reward" us, it didn't back down from what our goals were: staffing grids to ensure a safer nurse-patient ratio; nurses having the seat at the table to ensure that management has to work with staff to ensure quality care; nurse can not be temporary assigned to a place without proper orientation and classroom time to make sure that they can function in the role properly; no more merit increases that can arbitrarily assigned-meaning if a manager doesn't like you, you can get a paltry 0.5-1 percent raise vs a 4.5-5 percent raise-there will be an increase up to the market to rectify years of being underpaid.

Now, this week will be the vote.

What I have learned this week:

1. That I can recognize the need for intubation and pressure on a VERY hypothermic baby, and successfully transport with help to the unit;

2. That an infant with battle sign and major cranial deformity can only have swelling and still be a GCS of 15 without zero decompensation.

3. Using an alternative to intranasal Versed is possible for the kiddos, such as dexmedtomidine and diazepam, which have shorter recovery times during conscious sedation.

4. That "simmantive" equals "sedative".

So, what have you learned this week?

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I'm graduating this week with my BSN -- hurray !

I feel like dancing -- I am so DONE with school.

[Kitiger, RN]

I've learned that when a child who has shallow breathing is positioned on his right side regularly, the right lung will be compromised; the breath sounds will be diminished and rales will be consistently present.

I get him on his left side as much as I can, and I do extra chest physiotherapy (CPT) to his right side.

It really makes a difference. After clearing out the right lung somewhat, the oxygen saturation goes up and the effort of breathing goes down.

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

I learned that I was awarded a scholarship!!!

I also learned what a flashlight up the butt xray looks like.

I also started researching empagliflozin because it sounds like an interesting new drug.

I hope you don't mind pre-nursing students on here :)

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

"From the previous Saturday to Thursday I worked six 12s in a row; our staffing was that bad"

That's all I need to know. You are working with unsafe conditions.

File a unsafe staffing complaint.. each and every shift.

Fight the fight.. or get out.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I learned that I was awarded a scholarship!!!

I also learned what a flashlight up the butt xray looks like.

I also started researching empagliflozin because it sounds like an interesting new drug.

I hope you don't mind pre-nursing students on here :)

Uh, a flashlight up the bu... How exactly did the education process go with that? Ouch.

Congrats on the scholarship!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Forgot to add in my last one, cola cegledy is a helluva drug.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

"From the previous Saturday to Thursday I worked six 12s in a row; our staffing was that bad"

That's all I need to know. You are working with unsafe conditions.

File a unsafe staffing complaint.. each and every shift.

Fight the fight.. or get out.

BTDT...what I revealed was only ten percent of it-we have specific filings for it and it has already been completed...we even address unsafe staffing shift by shift and puts the onus on Administration and releases the nurse from liability by law due to the issues raised; if the Administration doesn't come up with a plan, they have to answer to TPTB.

If I reveal more, someone will catch on and know who I am!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I'm graduating this week with my BSN -- hurray !

I feel like dancing -- I am so DONE with school.

I KNOW the feeling...sometimes I want to return to school, but remember that feeling and have decided to postpone retiring for a good long minute-my focus is on becoming a proficient nurse in my specialty.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I've learned that when a child who has shallow breathing is positioned on his right side regularly, the right lung will be compromised; the breath sounds will be diminished and rales will be consistently present.

I get him on his left side as much as I can, and I do extra chest physiotherapy (CPT) to his right side.

It really makes a difference. After clearing out the right lung somewhat, the oxygen saturation goes up and the effort of breathing goes down.

I LOVE chest physiotherapy; I teach parents to use this with bronchiolitis, reactive airway, and asthmatics...the amount of fluid that leaks into the airways due to inflammation makes the difference in continuous nebulizers vs vapotherm vs CPAP vs BiPaP...I could go on!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I learned that I was awarded a scholarship!!!

I also learned what a flashlight up the butt xray looks like.

I also started researching empagliflozin because it sounds like an interesting new drug.

I hope you don't mind pre-nursing students on here :)

First-Congrats on your scholarship!!!

Second-we were all students once...you will see if you stay in this business...you will find yourself learning something new-even about what you thought you knew or even yourself...that makes us better nurses!

[evastone, BSN, RN]

I've learned that sometimes, nurses go out of their way to help you out just because they can. I recently started working in the ED and at times I can get overwhelmed-especially when dealing with unfamiliar procedures. Those who are free, will sometimes look for ways to make another nurse's load lighter.