Nurses picket at Florida Medical Center

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

nurses picket at florida medical center

...the hospital's intensive care unit has one nurse for approximately three patients, in some cases, while the union recommends a nurse for every one or two, said nurse bethiba brown.

medical-surgical units have one nurse per eight patients, compared with the union's preferred ratio of one per six. other units have one per six, compared with the union's preferred one per four to five, brown said.

the hospital's owner, national chain tenet healthcare, declined to comment except for issuing a brief statement.

"we provide training and appropriate equipment to assure the safety of our patients and our employees, and staff the hospital based on patient acuity. this approach allows us to do what no rigid ratio can do: maximize the talent of our caregivers to address the individual needs of our patients," the statement said....

video:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/videogallery/67888948/news/nurses-say-there-are-not-enough-of-them-to-go-around

[lindarn]

nurses picket at florida medical center

…the hospital's intensive care unit has one nurse for approximately three patients, in some cases, while the union recommends a nurse for every one or two, said nurse bethiba brown.

medical-surgical units have one nurse per eight patients, compared with the union's preferred ratio of one per six. other units have one per six, compared with the union's preferred one per four to five, brown said.

the hospital's owner, national chain tenet healthcare, declined to comment except for issuing a brief statement.

"we provide training and appropriate equipment to assure the safety of our patients and our employees, and staff the hospital based on patient acuity. this approach allows us to do what no rigid ratio can do: maximize the talent of our caregivers to address the individual needs of our patients," the statement said….

perhaps what they really mean is, "maximize the profits of the company", to address the individual paychecks of our ceos"!!

how do you maximize the talents of individuals, when they are overworked and have way too many patients to be responsible for?

jmho and my ny $0.02.

lindarn, rn,bsn,ccrn

somewhere in the pacnw

[robred]

We use an acuity system as well which is pretty comprehensive. It basically shows that not every patient requires as much care as another while some require MUCH more. If the information is collected appropriately, tabulated correctly and applied as recommended, I believe in it. If each of these steps isn't followed as per policy, both the patient and nurse suffer.

[Gregmercer601]

Hang tough! Profits have all too thoroughly corrupted clinical care, and Nurses have the means, the will, and the credibility to fight back for patients. Keep us posted - you have many more supporters than you may realize.

If its helpful, let me know what you think of a labor tactic some of us have been trying out in another labor issue involving a Nurse fired for providing education as trained, that happend to interfere with a profitable surgery (i.e. the patient decided to consider other options first).

Link: wp.me/s278fi-178

[jtmarcy12, BSN, RN]

This is why I do not ever want to work in Florida again. I now live in CA it is 1:5 ration on a med-surg unit, and 1:1 or sometimes 1:2 in ICU. It is DANGEROUS to have nurses with that many patients in ICU!! I hope the media will let the public be ware not to go into the hospital unless a family member is with them around the clock!! Best wishes to Florida Nurses you finally taking control, for too long nurses have been afraid of confronting management, it is now be time to take control so that you can take care of your patients and yourself!!:w00t:w

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Florida is one of the worst as far as pay and ratios.

I support my fellow nurses in arms.

[FLmomof5]

I work for a Tenet facility and our ratios are no where near those. Med/Surg has 1:4 or 5 during the day and 1:4 to 6 on nights. ICU is 1:1 or 2. I think blame is probably at the hospital level.

[WhichWayIsUp?]

One of my colleagues left our hospital and moved there to work at this hospital. It has been a constant stream of horror stories. I hope the union wins there and change is made to help the patients.