Published Nov 1, 2003
weezieRN
66 Posts
New RN to small community hospital took and passed boards in august, probation is not over until December. Have scholarship and sign on bonus to this hospital....... my question is I can have as many as 16 pts on nights with another RN with just as many and lpn to give meds and a pt care tech to do blood draws and patient care, how can I get out because this is just a disaster waiting to happen and I have worked to hard to let my new license go if something should happen. supervisers don't do squat at my facility at night.... need help fast
Brownms46
2,394 Posts
Get a loan, and pay back the bonus, give notice and leave! 16 PTs!!! I would sell everything I own, before being responsible for that many pts! How do you take care of that many pts ??? How long does it take you to do assessments on that many acute pts?? These are acute care pts...right???
sjoe
2,099 Posts
"how can I get out "
There is no mystery. You simply resign and take the economic consequences if you feel that uncomfortable. You can't expect to have your scholarship and paycheck and bonus AND quit.
Just why did you think they offered you these benefits? They knew what the working conditions would be like and knew they'd not be able to find someone to put up with this situation otherwise. They think YOU are that person.
"You pays your money and you takes your choice," as the saying goes.
And congratulations. You got to experience the primary reason for the "nursing shortage" right off the bat, so that, too, is no longer a mystery for you. There is NO shortage of nurses, just a shortage of nurses who are willing to put up with conditions like these.
Good luck.
my floor is med/surg/tele/ortho. Could have several "acute" pts then have the copd, chest pain chf, pneumonias, postop orifs tranfers from the unit, you name it. The hospital is small so we don't do cabg's and that sort of stuff but we do find them to be serious enough to have to be tranferred out in a big hurry. This last week has been horrible, had one dnr pass away, the night super did her usual "It had to happen on my shift" like the poor thing could help it. Still intend to do an internal report on her but everyone says if I do she will know it was me and will try to find anything I do wrong to report me in return!!!!. My plan is really to get to their OB department at some point after probation is over, doubt the opening will be open by the first of December when my probation is over since they are currently interviewing for that position(its been open since July, but will not be eligible to "transfer" till end of probation". Know one seems to care how many patients there are at night and usually staff they same on nights 1 or 2 RNs if you lucky (23 nights uncovered in 8 week schedule for second Rn) lpn for meds and pt care tech. Do they actually think all people sleep all night? We had 4 admissions Thurday night. thankfull we had the help of the Icu nurse (no pts in icu) who took 5pts while I ended up with 16 and other RN ended up with 14. Last night was like a dream. I had 10pts RN #2 had 7. Most of the time if there is 17 they think one RN can do for the floor on nights and it happen all the time(and sometimes low 20's)
renerian, BSN, RN
5,693 Posts
I agree with Joe.
renerian
SmilingBluEyes
20,964 Posts
agree w/sjoe also. get out. you think OB will be all that much better in a place like that??? i would bet NOT.
get while the gettin is good. they money is nothin compared to the weight of liability under which you work. eeek.
Originally posted by weezieRN my floor is med/surg/tele/ortho. Could have several "acute" pts then have the copd, chest pain chf, pneumonias, postop orifs tranfers from the unit, you name it. The hospital is small so we don't do cabg's and that sort of stuff but we do find them to be serious enough to have to be tranferred out in a big hurry. This last week has been horrible, had one dnr pass away, the night super did her usual "It had to happen on my shift" like the poor thing could help it. Still intend to do an internal report on her but everyone says if I do she will know it was me and will try to find anything I do wrong to report me in return!!!!. My plan is really to get to their OB department at some point after probation is over, doubt the opening will be open by the first of December when my probation is over since they are currently interviewing for that position(its been open since July, but will not be eligible to "transfer" till end of probation". Know one seems to care how many patients there are at night and usually staff they same on nights 1 or 2 RNs if you lucky (23 nights uncovered in 8 week schedule for second Rn) lpn for meds and pt care tech. Do they actually think all people sleep all night? We had 4 admissions Thurday night. thankfull we had the help of the Icu nurse (no pts in icu) who took 5pts while I ended up with 16 and other RN ended up with 14. Last night was like a dream. I had 10pts RN #2 had 7. Most of the time if there is 17 they think one RN can do for the floor on nights and it happen all the time(and sometimes low 20's)
As I said before, pay the money back, and leave:)! Some places have a % you pay back. depending on how long you have stayed, so check that out. And good luck:)!
NicuNsg
102 Posts
Oh my goodness 16 Pt's????
You need to go to this website, the story will not be up long so...pass it on! IMPORTANT for all nurses. Happy reading!
Titled: Changes Needed in Nurses' Work Environment/Med Errors
web addy:
http://www.nationalacademies.org