Issues with UCSB

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

So, I'm in the SICU at Cottage Hill Santa Barbara. This is my second assignment in California. This place is horribly staffed, there are no nursing assistants and never a help all. We have to bathe our patients at night & go to CT scan (there is no transportation either). I'm struggling to find help to turn my pt after I bathe them and the charge nurse has to go to scan with all the pts (I see her emptying trash, stocking carts, etc.. as well.........in addition to taking a patient). My pt had to sit in his own bm for an hour the other night before I got any help. Tonight a nurse flat out refused to help me get my pt back to bed b/c she didn't want to get behind...I swear, I walked away & laughed in disbelief. There's never a MR, so I'm usually avoiding answering the phone all night too.

Breaks...there are none. I signed the 30 min meal waiver. They make us clock out here for a 30min lunch. Most clock out & eat quickly at the nurses desk. And remain clocked out even though they are actually working.

No one takes 15 minutes breaks. I thought there was a law here in Cali about this? If I were to ask another nurse willl you listen out for my pts if I take a break, they would refuse.

My last assignment at Stanford we got 3 15 minute breaks plus a 30 minute lunch.

Maybe I have been spoiled at my other jobs....but I'm really surprised at how crappy this place is! ...just venting....13 1/2 more weeks of torture....I'm just sad & disappointed at this place, especially the lack of teamwork amongst the nurses.:(

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Specializes in ICU.

Do you mean Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara? Or a hospital affiliated with a different UC campus?

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

yea..I meant SBCH! cottage hospital in santa barbara

i'm sleepy!

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU, Travel Nurse.

I will def have to remember not to go here. THanks!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU,Tele. PCU, IMC.

Wow...I didn't know it was that bad! I might skip this after all...!

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Well, I would suppose that you have enlightened some of us as to a good reason why this hospital has to resort to travelers for staffing. A good place to work will not be like this. Thanks for the heads up and good luck with completing your assignment in one piece.

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Specializes in ICU.

Hi there! How are you? I just read your post about Cottage SB..ugh! I can't find a travel contract anywhere in CA, that is not Kaiser, except this one! I have the interview tomorrow!??

I have ten years of ICU nursing and I am so over this kind of stuff!

How bad was it?

Did you rotate days/nights as a traveler? Did they let anyone have straight days?

Was most of the staff travelers?

How was the core staff to work with?

And was that the norm, no clerk, no techs no help?

Is it a mixed ICU of everything, neuro, cardiac, etc?

I am not looking forward to my interview now..

I had a friend work there for a year in 2003 and she loved it?? What happened to that place?

Where did you live?

Thanks...Lori

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

Hey Lori...I posted that my first few weeks in that job. It actually did get better. With traveling as it is right now, I say go for it. I do miss being close to the beach & being able to walk on the beach everyday...that is about it! It took a few months to get use to b/c it was so different than my previous hospitals (all large teaching) but eventually I did. There are 2 icu's...so not sure which one you are interviewing for? Maybe the float b/w the ICUs? There's the SICU & the MICU...both have pretty easy pts IMO.

I worked in the SICU. Lots of neuro pts. But easy thing is if someone has an EVD they automatically make it a 1:1! Actually looking back, the majority of the pts are easy and if someone is sick or very critical they will be 1:1 no question. No nursing assistants. So you bathe your pts at night. Computer charting for VS & assessments but docs still do the old school written orders in the chart & a Kardex is used (which is often wrong...so be careful) and a MAR. At night there wasn't a clerk so we had to fax the orders to the pharmacy...it took me awhile to get used to that & a lot of the other things I"m used to having at a large hospital. But you have more experience than me...so it would probably be no big deal to you.

When I was there it was 70% travelers. The interview lady said it was 40% but no way is that true. I worked one night where everyone (including the charge nurse) were travelers!! They have new mgt so they are trying to get more permanent staff now however.

I didn't work days, so maybe there is more work on dayshift...but nights were pretty relaxed. There are cardiac pts but the cardiac docs are all major a******!!! Amazing how backwards they are really. But you won't take those pts ever (the cardiac docs are very specific about what nurses take their pts...no travel nurses allowed) so it's no big deal.

I am glad to have left..but with the way traveling is now, I would take the job. It is nice being close the beach, the wineries in Santa Ynez are 45 min away, then LA is close by as well. It's not as bad as I made it out to be in my original post.

Let me know what you decide and I will tell you all about housing...b/c there are some good & bad places to stay.

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Specializes in ICU, forensics,.

FYI

Not that much different. New manager, cutting back on overall nurse patient ratios. . . which was the only thing that could save you there.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU,Tele. PCU, IMC.

I finished my contract there in June, and even though I was initially wary, it was actually nice. I've worked in worse hospitals, and although not everything is breezy, it's manageable. My unit had self scheduling, I was there for 6 months and only floated once. They float travelers in with regular staff, which is so unlike Kaiser its so good! Once I got the hang of things, it was actually pretty nice. I didn't feel too dumped on, and the staff nurses invited me out with them for all kinds of stuff. Like Rachel said, the wineries are cool, and it's a short drive to LA. The beach is beautiful, and there isn't too much traffic (although summer traffic gets worse). The patients aren't too difficult, but there is a huge Spanish speaking population. I didn't rotate, just did straight nights, and my position was to a particular unit so I rarely bounced around. I worked in Telemetry, so I don't know how it is down in Med-Surg, but I loved working there, and would go back there in a heartbeat.

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