Frusturated with situation...does any nurses out there have same issues?

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My husband and I are both RN's at the same hospital in western Arkansas. I have been a nurse for 6 years and my husband for 4 years. The hospital is a fairly large facility and I know the nursing shortage is bad. We both are paid well at very competative rate and work 12 hr shifts (well supposed to be 12 hr shifts) During flu season it was not uncommon to have 7 to 9 patients per nurse plus discharge and new admit to empty room barely mins after one leaves, so basically 7 to 9 is 8 to 10 patients when you counts assessments charting meds and treatments on all of them. Even now we never have less than 7 patnts. The floors we work on are very sick, high acuity patients, such as 2 to 4 getting chemo ng tubes, most are hourly pain meds, and we give blood daily to at least 2 patients per nurse. I have given as much as 9 units on one shift. Usually we have just 2 nurses total and lately the nurse working with me are newbies or travelers that are new to our facility so I spend lots of time helping them so I'm always behind. We never and I mean NEVER get lunch breaks. Thank god no one on dayshift smokes or there would be issues for them! My husband and I usually average 14 hrs a shift. It is exausting and just mentally draining. I've been so dehydrated from work after 2 or 3 shifts that my lips actually peels off! No exageration! Our supervisors don't really help either we always get aides pulled so we have one per floor with 14 pts and always pull our unit clerk. So piles of orders have to be put in before pt caRe! And if I only one there that knows how my pts are neglected....all places this way? Will it get better?

Specializes in ICU, PROGRESSIVE CARE.

It should be max 1:6 on Med surf.....get out if there!

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Specializes in ICU, PROGRESSIVE CARE.

Sorry Med surg, auto correct.....

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You mentioned that it's an HMA hospital; I've heard nothing but horrible things about HMA. The norm where I live is 4-5 patients and every hospital does that except the one HMA hospital and they do 6-7.

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Specializes in ICU.

At my facility, the med-surg nurses take 8 patients each. I agree, there is no "nursing shortage." Is your state a "right to work" state? Here in my state (Alabama) we are at the mercy of whomever we work for. If your facilty has no union for nurses, and you are in a "right to work" state, you are pretty much treated very poorly.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.

Here, day shift takes up to 6 pts per RN. Night shift can take up to 8. I think that's too much. I'm a good nurse and at that level, my patients get neglected constantly. It's not fair to them.

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Specializes in MS, ONCO, Geriatrics, HH, HS.

What area or state do you work?have you ever heard of kaiser facilities and how is their reps? Thanks for your input btw!

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I have worked in similar conditions, I usually have 7 patient aside from admissions and discharges. I have counted in one day at least 10 patients. It is draining I understand but at least the patients on the unit are not that critical. Whe get codes one in a blue moon otherwise I would be terrible. I have had pca pulled out but never secretaries there is always one on the floor.That is defiently unsafe practice; I would recommend you and your husband to look for another job.

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