Layoffs and "Reconfiguring" the hospital

Geeg · Apr 27, 2006

Sorry, I don't think there is an upside. We all know that reconfiguing is a euphemism for cutting staff.

king of codes · Apr 27, 2006

I'm searching for some up side... can you share a bit more on how many beds, the staffing ratio and how the nurse techs are utilized ie.how much support will be lost?

Having been there for a while, I've been through all this... Yes LPN's NO LPN's... new grads with a long preceptorship to no new grads... in healthcare we can re-start a heart at standstill but can't seem to learn that the wheel is ROUND the fourth time we've reinvented the "new wheel". :uhoh3:

Is this only the CCU? New management?

ah, no. Can't see anything good here..sorry It's a very stressful time everytime I've gone through it and I can't recall a time my workload was lightened for better pt. care in the process.

babybusterbrown · Apr 27, 2006

Any chance you are in Dayton, OH?

I am in the process of applying to two hospitals in that area. Might explain what I am observing in the hiring process with one...

Babybusterbrown

LuvToBeANurse · May 5, 2006

Thanks for your comments... Sorry, it's taken a little while to respond...

We are a 16 bed CCU and we usually run one aide per shift- 12d & 12n. Their responsibilities are lighter than some of the other ICU's- we have an MICU & SICU as well. Those units have their aides get the vitals- BP & temp... being a new CCU (3 yrs old) management decided to make us different and nurses are responsible for all vitals. Basically the aides pass trays and help feed those who can eat/ need help doing so. The get blood sugars.. which is really helpful when we have several pts on insulin gtts and are getting them q1-2 depending. They bathe, collect I/Os, stock the rooms, and assist the nurse- even in codes.. our aides seem to love to jump in and do compressions. So, I don't think that it will be devestating, but it will NOT make our jobs easier. The nurse/pt ratio will not change we're told- we typically have 1:2 but may be 3 if you have 2 that can transfer out, etc. Apparently this is coming from evidence based research that shows pts receive better care in an ICU setting when it is from an RN. I have no problem with that... in fact, better pt care is why we do what we do... I just worry about the transition and how it truly will work out. I've already gotten into the habit of emptying my foleys just to make it a part of my nightly assessment... and weights in the am just to get into the habit.

So far, the other ICUs are not following suit. Not sure why, but that's the word. Like I said, thanks for the input and any advice on how to kind of be a good example in this transition... besides the obvious of just not whining!

LuvToBeANurse · May 5, 2006

no, not in dayton, but not far away either!

SorenDrake · May 8, 2006

I say, count yourself lucky for having them as long as you did! I work in a 24-bed general CCU (we get everything deamed critical), with a 2-1 ratio, sometimes 3-1, with no aides! Occasionally we have a tech who stocks linens and can run to central supply or to lab to get blood, but NO pt care. We've asked our nurse manager several times about hiring an aide who could help turn/bathe/etc. She tried her best, but informed us that doing that would mean higher pt ratios, and let us make the decision that we'd rather have lower ratios and more pt care. I must say in some ways I like being the only one to do things for my pts; I know absolutely everything about them! (And I'm a bit of a control freak) But trying to get regular baths in can be difficult when you have two high acuity pts. Think about ways you and other nurses can work together; sometimes the charge nurse assigns a nurse with lowest acuity pts to be "turn natzi," and it's their responsibility to make sure everyone has turning help at the right times. Good luck!

opal1266 · May 21, 2006

hi, i'm new to the forum, but had to post a reply to this, i'm from England and today we heard that were going to be reconfigured, we are a small 7 bed district CCU (we transfer critical pts to the regional once stable enough to move, beds permitting!!!!!) we curently work on 1:2pt ratio keeping one bed open for new admissions. our hospital managers have now decided that we can work on 1:3 days and afters and 1+1auxillary(someone who cannot do any clinical obs)on nights, that equates to a reduction of 10 qualified nurses, with the management saying it will not compromise patient care. waiting for the union reply, but it seems to be a worldwide problem. we are now on a 1 month consultation and will find out who is to go in june. hope you have better luck over there than we are

all the best

cara

bj76302 · May 21, 2006

we got told that business too. but we complained long enough that we have our unit rep and pca back.

LuvToBeANurse · May 31, 2006

Ok, so last week was the very last week that our techs worked in our CCU, I'll keep you posted as how things are going.

The only thing I have seen done so far to ease the transition for the nurses is that during our "quiet time" (we close the unit for two hours in the afternoon to visitors and testing unless there is an emergency- so the pts can rest) We pull our supply carts outside of the room at the start of it, stock them during it and put it back in the room at the end of it.

No other planning, the main thing I've seen is that pt's that are awake and eating get their trays late because us nurses are not used to recognizing that they are there and passing them! As far as I/O's- I like doing them myself - you really keep track of them closer and can notice if there is a problem sooner.

Our techs have all moved to new positions now, so I wish them luck.