GN's taking full loads before test results

[charlotteswebrn]

I am wondering if there is some kind of rule about GN's taking a full load of patients before test results have been announced. I work in an 8 bed critical care unit, and during a shift the other night the orientee was taken off orientation, so that she could take her own load of patients, three, with one on a vent. Is there a state by state law, or is there no law ?

She was working with me, so my name is all over the forms that we were using....I am deeply concerned. There were no ill effects...the patients didn't know the difference, the families didn't know....so only the staff was alarmed, at the total disregard for the patients, and the staff.

There was only one other nurse, who was also supposed to be on orientation, because she is new to critical care, and me, a seasoned critical care RN, but very ticked off at the possibilities.In other words, one critical care RN, an RN in critical care orientation, and a GN, who didn't have a license yet, and was still supposed to be on orientation.

What do you all think ? How would you feel ? Would you have felt like your license was put in jeopardy by the superiors who made this mid-shift decision....which was done so that we could receive a 7th patient...by the way.