staffing guidlines for birthing center

[scolvin]

I am a RN in Georgia and I work at a small hospital. We have a small LD unit. Offically we have 3 LDRP and 3 PP rooms with 1 triage room. Over the last year we have increased births from 30 to 45 a month. We do have a samll over flow area with 2 additional triage rooms. Usually the staffing is days Mon - Fri 4 RN's and 1 secreary. Weekday nights is 3 RN's and as well as weekend days and night. Recently, due to "budget issues" they are cutting staffing specifical at night and weekends because "of course we dont ever do anything at night (HAHA)". I feel like it often puts us in a dangerous position. There is no help at night, no extra staff, no OR, no help period.

Here is an example: a few weeks ago we had 2 PP pt so only 2 RN's were allowed in at 5 AM a labor pt came in and had a percipitus RN delievry with a "bad" baby. We had no way to call for help, no way to call the MD or RT, house sup was unavailble and the pt's on the floor got no attention. In the end the outcome was good but it was a receipe for problems. The unit manager just said well we have to be worried about the budget. I tried to explain that we need to staff as 2 units 2 RN's for LD and 1 minimal for PP.

Does anyone have any documentaion for this staffing or the same issues on their units. HELP...

[llrn03]

Our facility is in the same boat but we are a bigger facility in Cleveland, Ohio. We have 9 labor rooms, 5 high risk room, 6 triage rooms, and 8 antepartum rooms. We also have 2 ORs that are up and functioning at all times. At night we use to have anywhere from 10 to 11 nurses and sometimes we are over but we send those extra nurses home. We just recently cut our staff to 8 nurses at night. This is crazy because if we have a full house we are up a creek with no paddle and it is just not safe for our patients. Our nurse manage does not back us up and we are struggling to make them see how unsafe this is. We have picked up recently in delivery but overall we do about 200-300 deliveries a month so our patient load is heavy but no one seems to see this but the nurses that work the unit so I truly can feel your frustration.

[mamamerlee, LPN]

What do you mean ' no way to call for help'? You were physically unable to reach a phone? The house supe was unavailable? Call your director - yes at 5 am - if the house supe was unavailable. Why can't you reach an MD? I am very confused.....