marieparn

The unit I manage is a 31 bed Med surg unit that mainly has GI, dialysis, and some peds patients. Many of our patients are at our facility in excess of 3-4 weeks due to their very complicated surgerys. We also have Telemetry capability but if there are cardiac drips ordered the patients are transfered to our "TELEMETRY" Cardiac Unit. I am allowed 9.1 NHPPD for my unit and I have an ADC of 27 I am able to staff 6 RNs and 5 Care partners (CNA or LPN) for days and evening shifts and for Nights I have 4 RN's and 3 Care Partners. My goal is to have this staffing every day but like everywhere else call ins vacations etc.... Our ideal is to have 1:5 and no more on days/eves and 1:7 on nights Hope this helps

The facility I work for is "Studorized"!!! And I do agree that it must come from the top down. I am a nurse manager of a 31 bed Med Surg unit that just became MAGNET. I honestly believe that using the studor principles has helped us acheive our magnet status. We Round for outcomes with staff and patients. We send thank you notes to our staff, we align our goals around the 5 pillars etc... I highly recommend looking into Quint Studor and reading his books on your own even if your facility does not follow along. You will get very far on your own with the ideas

I know in our state the Dept of Health can site and fine a hospital 3,000. for an open container at the nurses station. We only allow drinks in the "daY" room or the kitchen area.

This recently happended to one of my patient's also. He was end stage CHF and the ICD kept firing appropriately but family and patient decided they wanted ICD shut off. Our cardiologist just use a magnet and place over the device. This will inhibit the ICD from firing.

I graduated May 2003 with my bsn and only had patient care assistant role in the hospital. I worked as a student on a telemetry unit and felt it was the place I wanted to work as an RN. It is now a little over a year and the new GNs are here. I love Telemetry it is a stressfull position but I feel it has been very rewarding to me. I have no plans on changing units anytime soon.

To each his own I guess. I think you misunderstood my comment. I do not want to spend my time with one patient and several monitors. I.E. ICP, Tele, drips, pawps, vents. etc... I know that monitors are pieces of equipment and the patient tells the true story, but I decided I want a patient that is not hooked up to several monitors that are constantly alarming. I decided that I wanted patients that were coherent and not so close to death on a daily basis. I am sorry that you did not have the time to teach your patients and had to leave that to videos. we also show videos but I go back and am able to answer questions by the family and patient. AgainI believe to each his own, what ever one feels comfortable with. I know for myself I made the right decision in not going to ICU.

Marc, Always listen to that "gut feeling" It is your inner voice guiding you. I graduated at 40 years old May 2003. I too was offered a position in our ICU after thinking it over for a week or two I decided to take a position in our Telemetry unit. I listened to that inner voice and I have not regretted one day. I took some flack from people when I turned down the position in ICU but I wanted to work with patients not just monitors (no offense to icu nurses) but from what I have seen there are one or two patients and alot of monitors. I would much rather take the five or six patients and the telemetry monitors. I feel that I make more of a difference in my patients lives and am able to do alot of education to my patients. It is wonderful to be able to teach a patient what Atrial Fib or What a Pacemaker or ICD does have them appreciate someone taking the time to educate them in people terms. I hope you make the right decision for you without pressure from anyone else. Good Luck, Marie