I read about "hiding" the fact we're short staffed....

Peggy G · Nov 12, 2000

Originally posted by askater:
that's funny, I was going to leave this message.

Anyways, we've been extremely short-staffed on weekends. We never had enough nurses to meet matrix. Well finally management solved the problem. They changed our matrix, we're getting more patients with less nurses. Now it doesn't look bad when you look in the books.

It's neat matrix can be changed at anytime.

Peggy G · Nov 12, 2000

Originally posted by askater:
that's funny, I was going to leave this message.

Anyways, we've been extremely short-staffed on weekends. We never had enough nurses to meet matrix. Well finally management solved the problem. They changed our matrix, we're getting more patients with less nurses. Now it doesn't look bad when you look in the books.

It's neat matrix can be changed at anytime.

At the facility where I work, weekends are always trouble, staff calls out, the patient/nurse ratios are lower than during the week, and demands on the staff are high. We always fall within the state quidelines for patient hours per nurse, however the minimal hours required is so low that this fiqure is a poor benchmark. We offer weekend differentals to staff. This only partly helps in the problem...I do not have any good ideas for quick or long term fixes.

Barbara Rose · Nov 14, 2000

What you guys are saying is what we are trying to change. Minimum standard become the norm, it is just the nature of the beast, just like changing the matrix so that the numbers work. Legislation is in the works now, everyone needs to voice their concerns to their legislators now- at both the state and federal levels. Nurses: are time has come, health care is in such a mess that we actually have a voice, don't waste this opportunity, write letters, make people aware. My congressman sends me copies of bills, etc. he is working on for my opinion. That is cause I bug him to death. You can do that to, it helps with the fustration believe me. And, by the way, you can join in the million nurse march, florence project, or other worthy causes/advocacy groups, etc. to help in these problems too. Just do something!

soundsLikesirens · Nov 14, 2000

I work on a med/surg unit. I'm an RN and we usually have 11 patients apiece. They told me that the former unit manager told all the RNs to go into patient rooms and say, "Is there anything else I can do for you - I have the time." !!! All the nurses REFUSED to do it! Ha!

OC_An Khe · Nov 14, 2000

Originally posted by Barbara Rose:
What you guys are saying is what we are trying to change. Minimum standard become the norm, it is just the nature of the beast, just like changing the matrix so that the numbers work. Legislation is in the works now, everyone needs to voice their concerns to their legislators now- at both the state and federal levels. Nurses: are time has come, health care is in such a mess that we actually have a voice, don't waste this opportunity, write letters, make people aware. My congressman sends me copies of bills, etc. he is working on for my opinion. That is cause I bug him to death. You can do that to, it helps with the fustration believe me. And, by the way, you can join in the million nurse march, florence project, or other worthy causes/advocacy groups, etc. to help in these problems too. Just do something!

Well said, all nurses need to be informed and should definetely communicate with their elected representatives at both the state and local level.

goldilocksrn · Nov 15, 2000

I think the answer could be to get a law passed where we staffed based on a uniform acuity system across the board, at EVERY hospital in the US. That way no one can manipulate. It would have to be specific to work (>3 IVs or drips = 10, tele=5, restraints=10, etc) Depending on your acuity, that is how many Nurses you get,NO EXCEPTIONS. Don't these people realize this will save them in the long run? ( ex. I mean, if we can walk our pts QID like the order says, they are much less likely to develop an ileus and require extra hospital days)

OC_An Khe · Nov 15, 2000

I am familiar with Calif. law on staffing ratios and am looking forward to see how it works in reality. I sure hope it does! But nurse patient ratios will only work if there are enough nurses. Nursing as a career must be attractive or the young people choosing career paths or they will look elsewhere. There has to be both job satisfaction and life satisfaction to attract the number of RN's we all will need in the future.

JillR · Nov 15, 2000

Gee askater, I think we work in the same facility!! This same thing recently happened here. Not only did they change the matrix, but also made a statement saying that there is enough "cushion" in the matrix so that we have "safe" staffing even when we don't meet our matrix. I wonder if they actually think we believe this stuff they tell us?