Can we fight?

U.S.A. Texas

Published

currently at bhs in san antonio, our patient patients/nurses on our unit is often 6-7:1. not safe to our patients and our nurses. can we form an organization to protest it?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

That isn't an uncommon ratio for most hospitals on a generic med/surg floor. You didn't say what kind of floor it is.

The short answer is sure, you can fight it. You can also get your resume dusted off because it will likely result in you finding yourself without a job. Not saying that is right, but it is the way of things when there are more people wanting work than there are jobs available.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

You can fight, but keep in mind that TX hospitals generally oppose unionization. Employees who are vocal about working conditions and political issues often find themselves blacklisted.

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I agree w/not.done.yet; if you're on a med/surg floor 6-7:1 is a normal ratio, especially for evening/nights. Days 5-6:1.

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I would be happy with that ratio. on our night shift its 9-10:1, that's me running all night! its non stop craziness

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In telemetry

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Career suicide, I am telling you. Just quietly start picking up your toys and go play somewhere else when you get an offer.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Sure you can fight. But before you do, consider what such a fight will require of you. Plan accordingly. To have any chances of winning, you'll need to gather lots of resources and/or use your resources VERY wisely.

The movie "Norma Rae" was on TV the other day and I watched it again. I hadn't seen it in years. I recommend watching it before you try to form a union at your hospital. (The role got Sally Field her Oscar.)

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We are union..staffing ratios on Med-Surg with tele patients 7:1 both day shift and night shift. Some days it is absolutely crazy with the discharges and admissions. Some nurses can easily end their shift having cared for almost double what they started with due to discharges and admissions. You just do it if you want a job. The union employees file "unsafe staffing" but they have no grievance as management reserves the right to set staffing levels the union can not mandate patient ratios.

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Thank you all for the suggestion. How did nurses in ca fight for their rights?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

OP, are you taking advantage of the Safe Harbor process? This requires you to formally report any assignment you consider to be unsafe - PRIOR to assuming responsibility for the assignment. Then you have to follow up with a more detailed report. If you take these actions, you will be protected from any liability that arises from the issue(s) that you have identified. Organizations are required to aggregate & analyze Safe Harbor reports as part of their Peer Review process.

But, as PP's have pointed out, this ratio is not uncommon. If the overall workload is excessive, is this due to extraneous (non-nursing) tasks? Too many inexperienced nurses? Complex charting & documentation requirements? Lack of supplies or meds? Maybe you could help bring these to the attention of your nursing leaders and ask for some re-design that would eliminate unnecessary tasks... this would be perceived as much more positive than simply whining about the nurse:patient ratio.

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