Nursing Staffing Post COVID Quagmire...

Updated:   Published

covid-staffing-aftermath-shortage.jpg.0029af178d304a5849e81d652ce36870.jpg

Covid did a number to nursing staff shortage like we never seen. Nurses call off all the time, some are leaving. The remaining staff is burned out from doing doubles and then some. Vacations declined and people arrive at their breaking point. This is quagmire. If I don't take a break from this I'll go insane and everyone is thinking the same. Management confined in their cubicles are clueless of what is coming at them. Corporation CEO's and mid management don't care, they will sell and move on.

Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.
19 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

Interesting plan however you will soon find yourself without employment as excessive call-off are only tolerated for so long. No employee is so good that they won't be let go under these circumstances.

Hppy

And it is a sad thing isn't it? But nurses have no other resource when it comes to being forced to do more work than what they signed for. Some nurses don't have unions and the only legal resource that remain untouched is the right to get sick, and if we don't watch out, even that one will be taken away. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
12 hours ago, Leonardo Del Toro said:

And it is a sad thing isn't it? But nurses have no other resource when it comes to being forced to do more work than what they signed for. Some nurses don't have unions and the only legal resource that remain untouched is the right to get sick, and if we don't watch out, even that one will be taken away. 

I work in a small 140 bed psych hospital and do not have union protection and my employer is pretty decent, but the hospital has to be staffed or the patients don't get care.

Hppy

 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nurse.
16 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

I work in a small 140 bed psych hospital and do not have union protection and my employer is pretty decent, but the hospital has to be staffed or the patients don't get care.

Hppy

 

Is the management doing everything possible to get the facility staffing up to par?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, PCU,.

My floor is currently going through the same thing. We have more travel nurses than staff nurses, but many of their contracts expire soon. I believe we have about 18 openings for RNs on day shift alone, but as someone stated we need more nurses. Really nervous about what’s gonna happen next… 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

Hospitals aren’t a learning environment for new grads anymore. Seasoned nurses get cranky and take the martyr attitude. So new nurses are avoiding hospitals, and hospital nurses are leaving because they are burned out. Just look at all the posts on this site with nurses berating the next generation.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
49 minutes ago, vintagegal said:

Hospitals aren’t a learning environment for new grads anymore. Seasoned nurses get cranky and take the martyr attitude. So new nurses are avoiding hospitals, and hospital nurses are leaving because they are burned out. Just look at all the posts on this site with nurses berating the next generation.

I'd say that the beratement is about equal with New Grads and Seasoned Nurses often sniping at eachother. One group (freshly minted) thinks they know it all and the other knows what the text books don't tell you which is that when the "Best Practices fail" It's time to unclog a G-tube with warm 7 up. I have been on both ends of this spectrum. Had some outstanding preceptors and had tried as often as possible to pay it forward. I never shy away from being a preceptor which I see many seasoned nurses doing. We can't bring along a next gen of nurses to work beside us and fill our shoes if we are not supporting teaching and yes continuing to learn in the process.

Hppy

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.
2 hours ago, vintagegal said:

Hospitals aren’t a learning environment for new grads anymore. Seasoned nurses get cranky and take the martyr attitude. So new nurses are avoiding hospitals, and hospital nurses are leaving because they are burned out. Just look at all the posts on this site with nurses berating the next generation.

Yes. This culture of corporate nursing which is unsustainable is finally coming to full fruition and it's fruits are not sweet. The corporate mind only cares about profits and that is so incompatible with the business of caring for people. It was just a matter of time before we run into a major problem. Nursing is such a different kind of institution and culture. If you treat them like factory workers which is what most corporate management does, we going to have problems. The bottom line is the disconnect that exist between those who create the rules with those who actually do the work. Management, bosses are so clueless. They have no idea of what goes on  on the floor; what nurses need and most of all how hard, emotionally and physically is to perform the work of a nurse. Even the ones who worked the floor, after a few weeks forget about how it was. Interesting to see what will happen. Hopefully I'll be retired by then, and hopefully I will not need a nurse.  

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am lucky to be at a teaching hospital so there is a bit of a more welcoming attitude toward teaching new (er) nurses. we have even started a mentoring program to support new hires after orientation. The next 1-2 years is going to be tough. ?

 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 6/17/2021 at 9:19 AM, vintagegal said:

Hospitals aren’t a learning environment for new grads anymore. Seasoned nurses get cranky and take the martyr attitude.

Come back after you've precepted 14 new nurses in a row (do the math on that) only to have each and every one of them tell you how the job they're training for is just a stepping stone to becoming an NP.  You may get a little crispy too. Calling their feelings a "martyr attitude" is a bit on the nose. 

5
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had a goal of finishing school to become an RN. Moved to Las Vegas in 1998 and was quickly cured of that goal after working in a hospital & multiple nursing homes out here combined with the minimal educational opportunities of LPN + RN bridge program (singular....in the WHOOOOLE state of Nevada, there's ONE program that's regionally accredited and it's at the College of Southern Nevada). The rest of the regionally accredited programs to get your RN (few & far between) are full of flaming hoops of fire nonsense. They control your life. List of mandated vaccines. Absolutely insane restrictions. I left nursing and went to a completely different field. Close to retiring, I missed patient care and thought I would go back to my original goal of becoming an RN. Started working part time as an LPN & volunteering. I thought 'certainly, 20 years later the educational opportunity is better'. No. Still only one LPN to RN bridge program, same location, Monday through Friday in classroom day shift. What working person can do this? Zero part time courses. Zero night school. Zero online programs and even worse restrictions now as the Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) wants mandatory RONA shots (let's call it what it is....experimental shot, not a vaccine) for everybody simply attending college or university - even for basic general freshman classes. Nevada is f***ED with these kinds of "leaders". NSHE is a joke. The NV State Board of Nursing is a joke.  I found a LPN to BSN online program through Indiana State University. Looks to be an excellent program and I was SUPER excited to find it and get started on it. You do the course work online, partime even....which is PERFECT for me then you go to the hospitals to be prevented. I'd be willing to pay a good nurse directly to share his/her knowledge with me. But guess what. This program is only open to certain states and, OF COURSE, Nevada is not one of them. I spoke to the director of the program at ISU and asked her what was wrong with me living in Nevada and getting a Utah license (where the program is accepted), traveling to Utah to precept? Whole host of issues. But bottom line, it boils down to our Nevada State Board of Nursing as the problem. Honest to God, I've never felt like such a 2nd rate nurse in any other state because I am "just an LPN". Nevada treats LPNs as of they are worthless. They don't even look at us as a nurse under our own license....they consider us "pre-licensed".  To show you the stupidity of NVSBON....I work with babies and kids on ventilators. NV law....LPNs are not allowed to change a trach. But, if there's an emergency you can. HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO HANDLE AN EMERGENCY TRACH CHANGE WHEN IM NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE TRACHS IN NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. It's the brilliant law makers and lobbyists for the NVSBON. Idiots. So. I've OFFICIALLY given up. I'm done. I'm going to become a bartender instead. Possibly a semi truck driver as well.  And lemme ask you burned out RNs of NV. How many of you would much rather precept a LPN with 15 years of varied experience under her belt compared to a new grad? 

Nevada can suck it. This LPN is fully leaving the healthcare field because of the ridiculous restrictive lack of educational opportunities and the outright incompetence of the NV State Board of Nursing. I'm sorry for all you RNs miserable & with the velvet handcuffs on. God bless you and may God guide your next steps. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

Covid combined with the way hospitals are run has made me hate nursing. I hate feeling like I exist to get taken advantage of. I am currently looking for a non-bedside job and as soon as I can leave, I will.... and I have no plans to ever come back. Good job, healthcare, you took a relatively new nurse and in 3 years' time, you burned her out to the point that she never wants to work in a hospital again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I'm going to 4 shifts a month. I will be semi-retired soon. Between other investments and my debt-free status, that will be enough. So sick of the BS.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion