Nursing Dissatisfaction

[quiltr]

Hello! In my hospital nurses the budget is a hot topic now, and units are being asked to find any way to lower their operating costs. One of the ways the ICUs have approached this is to evaluate staffing in 4-hour increments, and readjust assignments in order to float RNs to cover "holes". This is causing a lot of dissatisfaction among staff. Continuity of care is affected. Management is not receptive to our discontent. Any ideas how to handle this? Contact a union? Travel? Thanks

[cheesey_mcflavius]

quiltr, meet bottom of totem pole. bottom of totem pole, meet quiltr.

[caliotter3]

Likely nothing you do or say will affect those who make the decisions anyway. Just go to work and try to stay out of their way.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

We have been doing this for several years now. When we get a float, we re-evaluate every 4 hours, if their home base needs them back we send them back and vice-versa. Same for cancelling for low census...it is evaluated every 4 hours, if you are on 12 you can get called back in the last 4 to cover your unit or float to another if they need one. Sucks.