Ratios up, support staff down....cust sat, pt care? Huh?

[freemirini]

I am a new nurse. I am surprised to see that our ratios are increasing and we are losing support staff (per reduced scheduling of them) --We have been drilled about customer satisfaction... I know this is in relation to the poor economy. ...Cutting the staffing isn't going to help the customer satisfaction. We're all trying really hard... I just don't think this model is sustainable and effective, etc.

I know as I get more experienced I will be better at handling stuff. But the experienced nurses are having trouble.

I am learning to just remain calm. That's a pretty cool thing. --I can't change anything by getting upset. I just must prioritize and tackle it bit by bit (and delegate --share the load-- if someone's available to help).

I just feel a little surprised. I guess naive.

Any advice?

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I find that if I group ALL my tasks as best as possible, (meds, VS, positioning, water, blankets, pillows, visitor needs, etc....) my patients are usually well off enough that I can go see my other ones without worrying that someone I just left is going to hit their light again....

And somedays, that just flies out the window. They track our call light responses and we are supposed to get 90 percent answered within 3 minutes....but if 2 of you are in a room with a bleeding cath site....well, that's shot.

Admin will always get rid of the lower paying jobs first, but knowing that you still have to provide said care. they don't care about much except the bottom line.

[meandragonbrett]

My advice? Get used to it. You work in Corporate America.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Welcome to Nursing.

This has been the issue for the last 20 years that I know of.

This is why nursing has a high burnout rate. Why nurses quit. Why there was a "so-called" shortage a few years ago, though there were 3 times as many licensed nurses not working as nurses, than there were open jobs.

This is why the public still thinks that is a "shortage". When uncle Joe is in the hospital, the nurse cannot get to his light for 15 minutes - she has 8 pts..... Why it's the nursing shortage. Despite the fact, that there are hundreds of apps for a handful of positions.

For the past 9 years on this BB, this has been discussed, pondered and shouted on this BB.

But no one listens, until they are the one affected.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I've just become truthful. And if it gets me fired, so be it. When someone complains because I tell them that they'll have to wait on a bath, I just flat out tell them, "I'm sorry, I've got x number of other patients, and some of those I haven't even seen yet."

I'm tired of absorbing the blame. I'm a good nurse. But I'm only ONE nurse. And I can only be in one place at a time.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Sounds like my former facility. They just gave us more and more to do. Try to remember that hospitals are open 24/7. If you can't get it done, pass it along to the next. Do the best you can. Hit the important stuff and forget the rest. It's not the way I like to practice, but somedays it is all you can do.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Do the best you can. Hit the important stuff and forget the rest. It's not the way I like to practice, but somedays it is all you can do.

This way of thinking is exactly what gets me through many days.