Nik32

I work on a postpartum/nursery/gyn unit with about 150 births a month. Our staff has been very concerned in last few months because our floor has been forced to accept overflow medical patients. Most of us do not have any prior experience except our speciality. We've taken admissions on diagnosis and surgeries that we have never even heard of before and told to just ask questions if any come up. That to me is not a safe way to practice. We recently took a patient that had a diagnosis of "headache" that ended up having meningitis. We recently have been told that we are now going to be forced to start taking alot of med-surg patients on a daily basis because we have private rooms available that the rest of the hospital doesn't have enough of. They are going to do this so that the surgical docs will send patients to our hospital instead of our another hospital in town that has all private rooms. I'm truely saddened to realize that the hospital I love is not putting patient safety first. I also don't believe a nurse taking care of newborn should be involved in overflow admission patients or med surg patients. A headache patient may seem like a great patient for us to take but the what if's are not worth it. I've researched trying to find standards or recommendations on this subject but unsuccessful. Any input??