1husband

Hi, I'm a charge nurse on a telemetry floor. I am wondering the staffing on other telemetry units. I work night shift. We have just had a staffing matrix change and depending on patient numbers the nurses take anywhere from 5-8 patients. I also take patients and find that I can have 4 patients assigned to me and still do a good job at being charge. Now the powers that be want me to take 5-7 patients and still do all the charge stuff. Do you think this is safe? What are other hospitals staffing ratios. Appreciate any feedback. Thanks

It's your butt on the line, I would rather chart not given than pass it on to a CNA.

Hi, I am a new grad and am working on a medical/tele unit. I cared for this obese patient last night, who recently had gallbladder surgery. She came to our hospital because she was having chest pain. She is very whiney and demanding and is unable to move or chooses not to move. It takes 6 people to move her safely. She won't do anything to help herself from using her IS to refusing blood transfusions for her extremely low H&H. The doc wanted to prep her for a colonoscopy but she refused the Miralax because she wanted a good nights sleep. When I offered her sleep medication to aide in her good night sleep she refused. This patient calls constantly when shift change is happening. This morning I went in to ask her a question she blew me off because she was on the phone. Any advice with dealing with this woman would be helpful, I can't understand how she can expect the nurses and docs to fix all her ills when she won't do anything to help herself. Has anyone had a patient similar to this????