We have an issue at work where 2 nurses were terminated yesterday due to not wrapping a residen'ts legs. The hosp. reported to the state the wraps were not changed in a month. The guy got septic due to cellulitis. Before he went to the hospital, I asked him if they were changing his dressings and he said no. I asked him if he wanted me to change them, and he said no. The treatment orders for this pt were frequently changed, and the nurse who forgot to transcribe the order to the MAR said s/he didn't have time. The halls that are in question are very, very heavy. 30 residents to 1 nurse, a bear of a med pass and 2 residents with decub ulcers that require dressing changes BID, and they take at least a half an hour if not more to change EACH! I have told work over and over that no one can do all of that in 8 hours. I have asked if we can switch that cart to 12 hours and have been told no. I have asked for a treatment nurse and have been told no because our census is at 89 and it needs to be at 94/95. The regional nurse manager of our building was there yesterday and wanted suggestions, and shot down everything I had asked for....so what gives? Can I make an anonymous call to OSHA? We are told that if we don't get it all done, and treatments aren't done, we could possibly lose our license for neglect, but we can't tell anyone we don't have time or are working short staffed as we frequently do. She said because of federal guidelines, nursing homes are all this way. We have a unit manager who is new but she goes to meetings all day so she's not there to help out, but we are told "They are here to help if you ask for help." Yesterday I had 6-7 charts stacked on my desk that the unit manager was writing orders in. She wrote her last order, left the chart OPEN on the desk, and then said "Well since I was here late last night I think I'll go ahead and take off." ...I said nothing, just kept my mouth shut. No matter what shift you work on that cart, you don't have time to take a lunch or your state mandated 15 minuted breaks. I take 15 min breaks every 3 hours or so to pump because I am breastfeeding but I don't get to take a lunch....ever. The management said they'll take a look at these halls and see if they can change anything but I can almost guarantee they won't.
Now, the nurses that were termed want us to write them letters of character. Can we do this without our jobs being jeapordized? Would you write one in this situation? I am so furious right now that the $4 pay cut to go over to the brand new rehab hospital where I'll have 6 patients just sounds better and better! I worked pool there so I am familiar with the routine.
