Corporate Policy Problems

[tinnekke]

Part of me hesitates to bring this up, but I feel that I must. Today the 2nd shift nurse and I were informed by our DON that corporate was going to be initiating some new policies as part of some efficiency drive. Now I am all for ways to get work done in an efficient manner, but rules of safety still need to be followed. Apparently part of the new policy is that we must somehow compress shift report, counting the narcotics, AND auditing the MARs into 10 minutes. :stone (no that's not a typo). Our DON has already expressed her feelings on this matter and a couple others that are similarly chowderheaded to the higherups before even mentioning them to us. My relief nurse for tonight, who is an RN and a LNC with many more years experience than I, flat out told our DON that she would be doing no such thing with her license on the line, and I concurred. Our DON agrees with us, yet this policy is due to be implemented in the near future. Heck, I timed myself this afternoon giving report to the tape recorder and it took 15 minutes just to do that, and that was doing a very condensed report on a fairly uneventful day. It normally takes us at least half an hour to do report and count narcs and audit the MARs, since I rarely if ever have time to pre-record report, and shift change is rarely, if ever, uninterrupted. We work in an at-will state, for a company that shows increasing tendencies to make very arbitrary policy changes that make no sense in the field (including the one where the DON gets written up for having PRN narcs in the drawer that someone higher up decided that doctors shouldn't prescribe). We're both worried about our rights and options at this point because neither of us wants to lose our licenses trying to make a go of this ridiculous policy but we face being written up if we can't.

Any advice would be greatly useful.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Quit.

In mass.

Your license and patient safety is more important than a job at such a stupid place.

[mattsmom81]

Another ridiculous mandate from those who have absolutely no idea what we do or why. If everyone essentially ignores the mandate and keeps doing everything the way they always do, with extra effort towards efficiency, maybe the message will get across. I've seen this work but it IS a bit passive aggressive.

Would be nice if everybody would stand up together and say no way...but more than likely some will suck up and gang up against the noncompliars, dysfunction ensues, good nurses will quit.

Seems like this is our only choice sometimes doesn't it...vote with our feet.

Good luck to you. I've sure had my fill of corporate mandates and just left one of those places myself.

[jemb]

Implementing a policy is one thing. Enforcing it is another. I think the higher-ups will discover almost immediately that such a policy is unenforceable.

Don't worry about it. This one will pass quickly.

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

And management still wonders why nurses are leaving the hospitals?? Why are more going to agencies or travel companies and not staying put? It makes you wonder what caves they have been living in lately.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Yep I have an idea. Ask her to mentor or work with you and demonstrate her tricks of the trade to get it done. Just ask her if she shows you once you will be able to catch on fast. I don't think she will be able to do it either.

renerian