In advance for LPNs, there is an article about some hospitals closing their pediatric units and turning them into blended pediatric/adult med/surg units.
I want to know what other nurses think about this trend.
To me it seems like a cost cutting measure that once again ignores patient safety in favor of saving $s. I also found it disturbing that some of these units paricularly mentioned hiring new grads, supposedly because they had a 'broad general knowledge base'. My thoughts are that in the new grads case that 'ignorance is bliss'- that they may not really know what they are getting themselves into and not recognize when a situation is not safe practice. Could be I'm over-reacting, but it seemed to me that the opinions expressed in favor were those of management and not those of their floor staff. Thoughts, anyone?
