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.
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!
See you are fighting the fight. I don't know how long you have been doing it, but I see no changes in the near future.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
What is it with this current generation of nurses? They are so entitled, rude & selfish. I know I'm only 28 but wow! Nursing is such a team effort. Not just with other nurses but with other disciplines as well. I can't imagine only looking out for myself at work or not helping anyone else. I doubt it's just in nursing & I don't know if it's a generational thing but it turns my stomach. I'm pretty much at a loss for words because it's so sickening.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
My husband pulled a nerve in his back & I know he is in pain because of how he's acting. I've never seen him like this. He went to a walk in clinic & they gave him a shot of Toradol & a steroid but he said it did nothing. They prescribed him a muscle relaxer, Naproxen & Tramadol. He took it last night & he said it didn't help.
We've also tried OTC methods. Icy/Hot patch, heating pad & a TENS unit. No relief. He is suppose to go to work tonight but thankfully got a work excuse from the clinic.
I wish I could help him more but with me being 7 months pregnant there's not much I can do.
ETA: My husband is 6' & weighs 400 lbs. He also use to do (street) drugs. Both of those reasons are probably why he isn't getting effective pain relief.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Cheerios, I'm sorry he's suffering with this. The steroid injection has a cumulative benefit and I wonder if they got it in the muscle due to his size. (It's not always easy for someone of that girth.) Ice is better than heat and it could take 5-10 days to really have maximum benefit.
Good luck.
I'm wondering too. Because with his weight there is so much adipose tissue that it would make it difficult to reach the muscle so then it wouldn't help. I'm hoping he's better by Monday so he can go back to work.
I learned that I can trust my spidey sense. The patient I thought was 'off'... ended up having to call rapid on him by midnight. I was right to keep a closer eye. I'm grateful that I'm developing that sense, slowly but surely.
Monday will be four years since my father's death. It's still hard.. harder than I ever imagined it would be by now. I miss him. I think he'd be proud of the person I became since his passing.
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,241 Posts
There ARE better places to work.