Was I wrong or would you be mad too??

[jaxnRN]

I was so upset the other night, I really needed all of your professional opinions!!!

I am changing my place of employment next week and hopefully will not have to deal with the following problem (as much) there!

I had been sick for about a week. Head cold, fever, cough, etc. but was on antibiotics and was getting better, just really drained and exhausted easily. I work in OB but the department was "closed" that night when I came on duty. There are two OB nurses assigned per shift to the department.

I went on the Med/Surg floor to "float" for the night (7p-7a). Well, a labor patient came in and I get her on the monitor etc..., she was not in labor. Well, the other OB nurse came into the department and told me to take a patient assignment on the Med/Surg floor so that she would be in OB. I would not have had a problem with that except within the past hour I felt REALLY REALLY bad. Dizzy, ear pain, temp 37.4 after taking Ibuprofen and literally unable to think.

Well, my patient load consisted of 10 patients!!! There were only two other Med-Surg nurses scheduled on the floor (40 bed unit!). I told the supervisor that I could not take that much responsibility in my condition and didn't feel that I could give good patient care with 10 patients and only 1/2 of me. I actually came into work because I hate leaving the staff short an RN, but I could legitimately called in sick.

She told me she didn't know what to tell me but there was no one else that she could call in. I was so upset because first of all, this is my license on the line if a mistake is made due to any nursing error. Also, since they knew it was one of my last nights, the OB nurse was really rude to me and so was the supervisor. She ended up telling me to go home and they would manage!!!

I am supposed to work again tomorrow and still feel like crap. It is my LAST night to work there, thank God!!! I know that nurses float, I NEVER have a problem with that. I ALWAYS went in extra to work when the hospital called due to census being high. I am not lazy but not crazy either!!!

That hospital relied on OB nurses to actually take a patient load...which leaves the patients and the other nurses in a bad situation. Does anyone else have this problem all the time????? And did I over-react?

[katscan]

I do not admire people who come into work sick. We are nurses who are supposed to recognize illness in others, why do not we REALLY see it in ourselves? I don't want to be exposed to the flu, colds, etc, that I will probably catch, thank to Miss Inconsiderate Coworker. I do not CARE about the staffing levels when I am ill. There will always be sick patients and illness- forever! This will never go away. One does not help one iota coming into work and exposing EVERYONE to more germs. What happens if a patient gets worse due to your illness?A seriously compromised elderly patient contracts pneumonia from your upper respiratory tract infection...and dies. How would you feel then?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by passing thru

3rd shift guy,....LOL had a good laugh over your comment, ""too sick to float""...it is true though. Even if you're sicker'n a dog, you can get thru the shift by rote on your own unit. Sometimes , the prospect of having to float....well, if your'e sick, the mental/emotional and physical reserves just aren't there.

I agree with you 100%. When I'm super though I never contradict what the sending unit's charge nurse or manager says. If they say sick nurse has to float regardless of her being sick, I might try to talk them out of it, but it's the charge nurses decision.

I had one nurse come in look at the board and saw that she had to float, said she was sick and then went home. Loved her.

Then there's the one's that know it's their turn to float, and their unit census is down. They call the floor, "what's the census and am I floating" "Yes you are floating" "No I'm not, I'm sick". sigh...At least in our hospital OB never ever ever has to float to med-surg.

[RNforLongTime]

Originally posted by GraceyB

I think that most times we are too loyal to our jobs but management just doesn't give a damn about us. Hope you feel better soon and good luck on your new job.

Yeah and when was the last time you saw management throw on a pair of scrubs and help out in a crunch! NEVER!!!!!!!!!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I work as a supervisor and please, if you are sick, call in. It is much easier to deal with making an assignment or finding a replacement at the beginning of a shift, rather than trying to shift people around in the middle of a shift. Plus there are always people that say "she wasn't That sick" even if you are dying. They are a pain to listen to. Calling in is healthier for you and easier for me.

Plus if you MUST come in and need some accomodation call ahead and tell me. It's not fair...but so many times I've heard the migraine, or sore back excuse after someone finds out they are going to be floated that I am just naturally suspicious of that statement.

By the way, I agree that 10 patients was a lot, and perhaps the unit needs to work out some kind of way to take turns floating so everyone knows who gets the honor next, no debates after a pt has been seen by one nurse and another shows up.

[sjoe]

I say again:

[nurse2002]

Whether you are sick or dead ive already decided whatever facility, unit or floor you work on anybody you let is going to try to take advantage of you. The adon, don, administraion, charge nurse and other nurses. Ive always tried to help others when it is needed,(even when its not needed). Ive gone into work at the last minte when they are short staffed. Floated to diff units where they are very rude to me. Ive always been a nice happy person and considerate of others. I have found out if you try to take up for yourself and not be a "doormat" they will try to make life miserable for you.

I honestly am beginning to think it is not to my advantage to try to help colleages at work. Because then when it comes a time that I need to be covered (shifts and such), need help wih a cunfused pt, Need help when I get behind and others are "sitting at the station", 99% of the time I am on my own. But others still expect my help because ive always volunteered.

I f you are sick dont go into work, because you wont get a lighter load. I know most of this reply is off the subject but I just kept typing......thinking and typing......lol

[nurse2002]

Originally posted by nurse-lou

Yeah and when was the last time you saw management throw on a pair of scrubs and help out in a crunch! NEVER!!!!!!!!!

Nurse lou, Ive never seen anyone in administration put on a pair of scrubs. I know my last post sounds like I am really unhappy with my profession right now. I am. Im sick of walking onto a unit that is short staffed. So short staffed that my license is on the line. And god help us if we say anything. Im sick of being a nurse and not having time to help with such things as helping a cna get a pt to the bathroom. But of course I help because that is part of being a nurse. Then I get behind in my duties. And as I said in my earlier reply. Who is there to help us when we get behind due to short staffing?

Also, while im at it, last week I had a patient I ran my a## off or all day. This woman got great care. My god, she had her own little waitress! Then complained that I was slow because I didnt get her a diet drink fast enough. Well the waitressing days are over.

The days of my helping everyone and thier mother are over.

The doormat days are over.

I am rambling.....I think I need to vent. But my god, WTF do these facilities think we are? Wonder women? What is wrong with co-workers who think they are too good to help (thank you to those who do)? What is wrong with the whole healthcare system? Money. People who make the rules dont give a D### about the patients or the employees, everything is wonderful to them as long as they get the big salaries, dont lose thier jobs or dont get sued.

Well, venting felt good. Im going to do it again soon.