Have you ever felt that you have too much work to do for just one nurse

oramar · Feb 13, 2003

It seems like to much because it is to much. Especially those 30 to one nights. Is there not a governing board where you practice that can come to your aid?

New CCU RN · Feb 13, 2003

That's one job I'd be saying see ya later to!!!!!

It's not worth it!!!!!!!!! These situations are risking your license, your patient's safety, your wellbeing.

You can't solve the staffing problems and it seems as though your facility isn't that committed to either. That ratio is ridiculous and unsafe and my only advice is to find another job!!!!

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2003

I DONT THINK SOOO!!!!! If that supervisor couldnt find someone to cover,, then its her responsibility to be out there covering. I would only face 30 patients at that acute level ONE TIME and id be gone. And i say one time loosly because at the point that you find out you wont be getting help you have no choice or risk abondonment accusations. However, if the super refused to be there to help you cover,, then she is in an abandonment position because she is ultimatly responsible for the whole facility in which she could be accessable to other departments by telephone while she took at least half those patients. And i would report it in a heart beat.

passing thru · Feb 14, 2003

The usual med-surg ratio here is one nurse to 5-8 patients. Same for telemetry.

It has never happened to me. There would have to be an extreme situation for me to take on 15 patients. to take on 30 patients, i would be calling the ceo.

And, it would only happen once, I would give notice if I went to work and they said my patient load was 15 patients. Who are we kidding here? I am experienced, competent, organized, prioritized, etc. , and also know how to do "just the basics" in a pinch. But 15 patients? They would not even be getting the basics. No, I would not do it.

2banurse · Feb 15, 2003

Although I am only in the process of getting my education as a nurse, I know that if I went into work and saw that I would have anything more than 8 patients, I would not even accept assignment. If I lose my job, than I lose my job. I will not risk the lives of the patients and I won't risk the license that I am working so hard on.

I couldn't even imagine what you are going through, nor do I want to.

Kris

Scavenger'sWife, RN · Feb 15, 2003

Welcome to my world.......

I also work Med-Surg-Tele. Went to work yesterday (my 7th day in a row BTW) and found my assignment was 9 pts and an NA to help. Also had a new NA to help orient, which means time I needed to spend teaching her how to do her job.

I work days (7A-7P) so ya have all the busy-ness of other departments to deal with, as well as all the MDs and their demands. My 1st patient decided to leave AMA at 9AM.....paperwork up the wazoo for that. Two pts with pain issues. One patient who nearly coded twice. A drug error that I discovered night shift had committed.....not a biggee but still more paperwork. Three discharges all wanting to get out at the same time before the "blizzard" hit us that the weatherman was predicting. A direct admit (more paperwork and phone calls trying to get orders from the MD).

Need I say more?

:eek:

Night shift here usually has anywhere from 8 to 14 patients

NEVER 30 - OH NO!!!!!!

I have decided that despite the fact I really love this medical floor, I am taking a Home Health position. I used to work there and love it, too, so I know I will be happier and a lot less stressed.

Good Luck to you!!! Keep us posted on how you are doing!

debRNo1 · Feb 16, 2003

originally posted by regnursein99
welcome to my world.......
went to work yesterday (my 7th day in a row btw)
i work days (7a-7p)

am i reading this right ????

did you do 7-12hr shifts in a row

just started doing the 12's and i work days too its not easy.

i havent done 3 in a row yet and even when i do the 2 im half dead for the next couple of days.

is it illegal to work that many or am i reading this wrong

deb :confused:

Shae · Mar 31, 2003

:uhoh21:

I work the 7p-7a shift as an LPN. There are nights that we have 10, 11, 12 or more patients a piece. What makes it worse, it that we usually do not have but 3 nurses on the floor without a "charge". The one RN out of us 3 is expected to take a patient load-usually equal to ours-and still considered responsible if a patient goes bad on us. Our nurse manager does not show up to help us out. We are all really very angry over the situation and feel our patients are not getting the care that they deserve. Infact, we know they are not. We care about our patients and strive to meet their needs; but staffing makes it impossible to do all the things we feel we need to in order to give the patients at least adequate care. We have telemetry patients as well. All of our patients just like any other facility are sick and with this makes it difficult to comprehend that they are not the "only" patient the nurse is assigned too. We should not be asking our patients to deal with us; but our facilities should get off their rumps and make it possible for staffing to deal with our patient needs. Our patients deserve much better care than any one nurse is able to provide for their patient load. This fact stresses those of us out that truly want to be all we can be for each and every one of our patients. I say my prayers every evening on my way to work to start my shift that the Lord will give me the wisdom to do the very best for my patient load and that no one suffers due to the lack of staffing. And that the scheduled nurses and nursing assistants can pull together as a team to make things better.

deespoohbear · Mar 31, 2003

That is way too many patients for med-surg tele! And did I read you right about the vents? :eek: There is no way in Hades I would take 15 med-surg patients and no way I would do a vent on a med-surg floor. Period. You need to start documenting your shifts and go up the chain of command. And start looking for another job with safer (and more sensible) ratios. The most med-surg/tele patients I have on days is 8 (occasionally 9 but that is very rare and I make my opinion known loud and clear to my manager). Is this a larger hospital or a small, rural community hospital? I work for a small hospital and I could see our administrator and DON trying to pull this nonsense....if we didn't stick to our guns. Vote with your feet!! NOW!!!

angelbear · Mar 31, 2003

Staffing is awsome where I work. I have 30 intermediate care pts.(LTC) on nocts. Also have 2 to 3 NA's. That is awsome for ltc. But still when we have a couple of pts. go bad on us we nearly kill ourselves keeping up. And yes the other pts see very little of us all noct. This staffing is pretty good for ltc but the same pt load in acute care would not even be close to possible. I say run and fast. There is a nursing shortage ya know and you deservere much better.

Disablednurse · Mar 31, 2003

I had that happen to me one time. I came to work, had one LPN, 31 patients on the floor, all had v/s every 2,3, or 4 hours. They had foleys, some on telemetry, IVs out the wazzoo. I wrote a letter to the admin of the hospital and described the situation to him. I got my butt chewed out for this, but it never happened again. I figured out after that I needed to find something else and did.