Legal implications for nurse who can't finish treatments

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/Ortho/Psych.

What do you do if you don't have time on LTC to finish treatments as a result of not enough staff/short staffing and you have asked for more help many times?

RN

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I view treatments just like meds. They have to be completed. If another nurse can't help can one of the managers come in to help? Can a quick treatment be done during an assessment? If these don't work and you really are put in a situation were the treatments can't be done then I would find another job. I would not put a resident at risk or my license.

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A report needs to be filed, it should be clear and concise. I would not hesitate to state d/t low staffing and requests for assistance from management were ignored and time did not permit tx to be completed. It sounds terrible, and you will have action taken against you but you will have covered the bases when the state gets involved if they try and report you for negligence. Always make a cope for your files too.

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:rotfl: funny! And I agree!

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
A report needs to be filed, it should be clear and concise. I would not hesitate to state d/t low staffing and requests for assistance from management were ignored and time did not permit tx to be completed. It sounds terrible, and you will have action taken against you but you will have covered the bases when the state gets involved if they try and report you for negligence. Always make a cope for your files too.

I agree. Only document, keep a copy, then find another job! :rotfl:

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Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.
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I agree :uhoh3: get outta there. And if you ask your coworkers for help and they decline, I would put that in a report too. Exactly why I quit LTC, no regrets whatsoever. :nurse:

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
What do you do if you don't have time on LTC to finish treatments as a result of not enough staff/short staffing and you have asked for more help many times?

RN

Have you tried dividing up the treatments between shifts? Leave the easier ones for days and the more complex for when the patient is in bed.

For instance, the more complicated, time-consuming dressings might better be done on night shift while the CNAs are doing their bed changes.

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