tree22_RN

ST. Elizabeth RN are not union,not sure what the base rate is but I do know your experience counts in the calculation of your starting rate. I work at St. Elizabeth and have been there for 26 years. We are a level I trauma center. Our ED has positions availabe. Our per diem rate is $30.00/hr. shift diff is not much but incentives for picking up evening, night and weekend shifts are available.

I am a manager of a SICU and a CVICU, 26 years ago I was hired into intensive care right after graduation, and have not left that arena. We offer fellowships to senior nursing students that start in March and go through the end of May before graduation at a school that is affiliated with the hospital. This fellowship means that the individuals will have a position in the unit upon successful NCLEX exam. It helps to integrate the new grad into the unit and cut down on the orientation time needed. Instead of 12 weeks of orientation we give a minimum of 8. This is the first year and I have 2 fellows in SICU, so we will see what their evaluation of the process is by the end of august when they are expected to be off orientation. So far they have given very positive feedback.

used to have a physician who used that method but he is gone now.

Rot-a-prone is the bed that was taken from our area.

Yes we do use it rarely also, but seems like in the last year we have proned 4 patients, basically have one trauma surgeon who wants it dome more than the others. Three of the patients didn't do well at all, we currently have the 4th one now.

does anyone prone patients? We very rarely do this and at one point had access to a pronation bed, however the company pulled the bed from our area which is eastern ohio because of low usage. Hillrom company has a device (Volmer)(sp?) was wondering if anyone has used it. We are currently proning a patient using an OR table and all of the positioning devices they use in the OR. Appreciate any comments.

eastern ohio, about 1/2 hour from Pennsylvania (where I live), I am a Nurse Manager for a SICU and a CVICU at a level one trauma center.

all our ICU's are typically 1 RN to 2 patients, however those that are unstable are 1:1. our open heart patients are 1:1 until extubated or hemodynamically stable which can be up to 6 hours post op. if patients have transfers to step down or general floors with no available bed, we go with their standards or assessments which are every 4 hours for step down and every 8 for genereal floor. so....if we have those types of patients we may have a RN to 3 patient ratio.

all our ICU's are typically 1 RN to 2 patients, however those that are unstable are 1:1. our open heart patients are 1:1 until extubated or hemodynamically stable which can be up to 6 hours post op. if patients have transfers to step down or general floors with no available bed, we go with their standards or assessments which are every 4 hours for step down and every 8 for genereal floor. so....if we have those types of patients we may have a RN to 3 patient ratio.

I am the manager and that is what i am afraid of, now we do a manual short sheet and it's up for about a week and a half before the new schedule starts and we just sit down and put the shifts on the schedule in about an hours time. One shot, can't imagine having to do it on the computer

not sure if we will be putting and compensation in. I think we are looking at it more to help fill vacant shifts on the units. I am a manager and was wondering how much of my time will be spent trying to approve changes.

Is anyone using Bid Shift at your hospital. the program that allows staff to bid on vacant shifts throughout the organization? We have just purchased this and are awaiting the start of the process. If you are using it do you think it works? Right now we post a "short" sheet when a schedule is posted and people can sign up for extra shifts, it's mostly the people in the unit that sign up then we make calls to others we know will work with us.

our SICU (which also handles trauma patients) visiting is limited to 3 people at a time, 10:30a-11,2:30p-3:00p,8:00p-8:30p, we do make exceptions based on patient condition and family needs. Anyone under the age of 13 has to have special arrangements made which are not regular visiting hours and for only 15 min.