Chronic Extreme Emergency Department Shortstaffing

Published

Our facility chronically leaves our ED shorthanded by 25% to 75% in Nursing staff. This leaves extremely unsafe staffing ratios, I'm talking up to 11, 12 patients to 1 RN; also our RNs often must do our own housekeeping, be security for violent events in the department, hold ICU inpatients in the department etc because the hospital does not want to pay for ancillary staff; all of this is in addition to our 4-12 patient load for each RN. Then when a patient complains that their wait was too long or if a bad event occurs, the hospital blames the nurses. I would write an occurrence report, but that goes to our Risk Manager who is also a blamer. Everyone else is afraid to address the unsafe nurse to patient ratios due to our Administration will simply terminate anyone who questions them. What is everyone else doing to stay safe in this kind of facility?

IMO, this seems to be an issue everywhere and getting worse. Patients are sicker while staff is being spread more thin. It's scary and dangerous for both patient and nurse! I left floor nursing thinking that ED would not necessarily be easier but that I would have a lot more help since there are techs, docs, and better staffing. Or so I thought. Well I was wrong! Very very wrong. I was also told by management that they won't put me with critically ill patients for weeks until I start to feel more comfortable. hahaha what a joke that was. I feel like I mean nothing more to my hospital than just a warm body to fill gaps in the staffing hole. I'm ready to just walk away. It's not worth it to me any more.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I also quit. Ancillary staff (medics/techs) is non-negotiable, I really admire these EDs that actually correctly staff the ED. When you have code stroke, icu hold with 4 drips, no transporters, and they shove you a stemi I was like screw you guys I'm going home lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma/ER, Pysch, Pedi, Free Standing ER, L&D, ICU.

Left Texas and sad to find "Safe Harbor" isn't available to most states. Sure could use it up here...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What is everyone else doing to stay safe in this kind of facility?

Getting out. Yesterday.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you. These are scary times in some ERs around the country. I may try to lobby for a safe harbor type of program in my state. Thank you for that information.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm really tired of facilities, even the big shiny ones, being too cheap to provide adequate staff for the number of patients and their acuity. Especially in critical areas. To me, it all started when these facilities decided to "streamline" and use lean management to a fault. I don't understand why administration doesn't understand healthcare can not be run in the same manner one would run a bank, or any other corporate business.

In my facility, I have seen how scary being understaffed can be. Then when something goes wrong, administration blames staff. Why?! Unfortunately, I don't see the situation improving unless laws are passed or nurses take a very serious stand.

Maybe Joy Behar will help. LOL

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion