Here is where you can be heard. ANA has all the emails set up and you just fill out the form and it gets sent to your representatives. It's a start.
You can edit your message. I added that nurses need to be protected from administration for expressing concerns about patient safety. I think that is very important. Nurses also need to be protected if they feel it is unsafe.
I certainly hope we get some results with the safe staffing initiative! It's great that the ANA is turning its attention to the concerns of the average nurse. I am wondering if they are doing anything about the floating without cross-training. That to me is as big a problem as the staffing. I know with my own speciality I can safely handle a much higher load than when I'm on a strange floor with staff and doctors I don't really know, medicines I rarely give, etc. I don't mind floating but some cross-training is in order, please, if a med-surg nurse is sent to the ICU or the NICU. A nurse is not a nurse is a nurse any more than a doctor is a doctor is a doctor.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Did my thing. Took the survey. Received letter from my senator stating: ... I support and understand the vital need for proper staffing practices that ensure patients access to the best care available.
I certainly hope we get some results with the safe staffing initiative! It's great that the ANA is turning its attention to the concerns of the average nurse. I am wondering if they are doing anything about the floating without cross-training. That to me is as big a problem as the staffing. I know with my own speciality I can safely handle a much higher load than when I'm on a strange floor with staff and doctors I don't really know, medicines I rarely give, etc. I don't mind floating but some cross-training is in order, please, if a med-surg nurse is sent to the ICU or the NICU. A nurse is not a nurse is a nurse any more than a doctor is a doctor is a doctor.
I totally agree with you. I am an ICU nurse and often get pulled to the floor or to the ER. On the floor I usually have 8-12 patients assigned to me with a tech or LPN (hopefully). According to our policy I am supposed to treat these "customers" like guest and go above and beyond my "nursing care". And..... take admissions during the night, after all, management used a 'grid' for staffing at the start of the shift and it only called for X number of nurses. Heaven forbid if they should ever be over staffed by one nurse or tech! Management never acknowledges that the floor always gets at least 4 admissions during the night. And who are you going to call at 2am to come in? In the ER I am responsible for 6 beds. I dont think like an ER nurse. I have to change my way of thinking from primary care in the unit to 'treat 'em and street 'em' in the ER and 'hope I dont miss anything important' on the floor. I, too, dont mind floating, but I have to shift gears when I am on the floor or in the ER. I try to be extra careful when I float to another area.
I was also told not to put complaints in writing anymore, because it makes ME look bad.
What they really meant to say was:
"Please don't put anything in writing because we really don't want a paper trial where nurses have bought the despicable staffing conditions endearing patients to our attention. It wouldn't be a good thing should we get sued due to it. We prefer to pretend it doesn't exist. How dare you worry about patients and your license before thinking of how it could effect our bottom line. Bad nurse."
I would write it in every survery and evaluation you could. I hope your co-workers do the same. They need to hear it and see it repeatedly.
I just happened on this site and I put in my 2 cents. I am tired of our employer saying nite shift is fully staffed. I work by myself and have 76 residents to care for. I have 4 g-tube patients. They tell me if I can't handle the work load to find another position. This week They decided oh we can afford another nurse but you will have to find them we can't get any apps. Bull poop. They don't even advertise.
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act. I appreciate hearing from you.
You'll be pleased to know that I have signed on as a cosponsor of this bill. This bill would improve patient care and support nurses in health care facilities, by requiring health care facilities to work with nursing staff to implement a system that ensures appropriate nurse staffing levels are present to promote quality patient care.
We must make sure that there are enough nurses available to provide quality patient care. I understand that a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2002 found that higher levels of nursing care correlate with better patient care and outcomes in hospitals, and that another study in 2002 by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) found that nearly one quarter of all unanticipated events that result in death, injury or permanent loss of function result from inadequate nurse staffing levels. This is unacceptable.
Appropriate staffing is the number one concern of nurses today and is critical to the delivery of quality patient care. Proper staffing levels allow nurses the time they need to make patient assessments, complete nursing tasks, respond to health care emergencies, and provide the level of care that their patients deserve.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please don't hesitate to do so in the future for any assistance you might need.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
eeeee doggie!!!!!!
got a response
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act. I appreciate hearing from you.
You'll be pleased to know that I have signed on as a cosponsor of this bill. This bill would improve patient care and support nurses in health care facilities, by requiring health care facilities to work with nursing staff to implement a system that ensures appropriate nurse staffing levels are present to promote quality patient care.
We must make sure that there are enough nurses available to provide quality patient care. I understand that a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2002 found that higher levels of nursing care correlate with better patient care and outcomes in hospitals, and that another study in 2002 by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) found that nearly one quarter of all unanticipated events that result in death, injury or permanent loss of function result from inadequate nurse staffing levels. This is unacceptable.
Appropriate staffing is the number one concern of nurses today and is critical to the delivery of quality patient care. Proper staffing levels allow nurses the time they need to make patient assessments, complete nursing tasks, respond to health care emergencies, and provide the level of care that their patients deserve.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please don't hesitate to do so in the future for any assistance you might need.
Specializes in TraumaER ,NICUx2days, HEMEONC CathLab IV.
The ANA has been working for years to increase nurse staffing. The organization hasn't had much success with these forms so far. They are not viewed as a politically powerful organization in Washington, either. The way toward better staffing isn't going to happen through nurses, politicians, lobbyists, fed gov't, etc. It is going to happen when the PATIENT demands better care. Encourage your PATIENTS to write a letter to the hospital if they have staffing concerns and write a letter to the Editor of the paper. Be up front and honest about the shortage with them, if they ask you about it. You are the messenger, they are the CHANGERS. I've reached this conclusion after 26 years in health care.
I have wondered where a company like Jacho JAACHO or arrrgggghhh what ever their name is today, gets off with making my NURSING job harder, longer and more difficult via increased PAPERWORK? How about streamlining some of their requirements,( oh yeah,,that would make sense, we can't do that.) Each and every year I spend more time writing for the Lawyers and demands of Jacho, and less time doing patient care. SOLUTION:: Maybe we need our patients to hire a nurse PRIOR TO ARRIVAL, one that can do the patient care and have one nurse to chart for the demands of Jacho. I can see it now, a gaggle of nurses hanging out on the corner of the local hospital with their specialty scrawled on a placard, the family drives up, and looks them over picks one and into the hospital they go. low necklines and short skirts may make a comeback......guys, beef up. we like the eye-candy too :chuckle
this proposal is for units to set their own ratios with R.N. input
Please read the words in the ANA position statement on safe staffing. Do you see specific levels? Or are we once again going to rely on what others interpret as safe.
I agree with forrester. Units have always set their own ratios, and they probably feel that they already listen to the direct care nurses We need a specific number to apply across the board. I want to know that no matter where i work med surg, i will never have more than 5 patients!
The way toward better staffing isn't going to happen through nurses...
It certainly can. Look at the CNA (California Nurses Association). It just takes the kind of solidarity and dissent that means taking to the streets and demanding justice! We have the numbers to get it done ourselves. I have been waiting for years and have yet to see any change. All the way from Tn, the CNA looks like the best chance for all of us.
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I have been out of nursing for over 5 months because i know that no matter where i get a job next, they will 100% guaranteed give me too many patients. That really lets the wind out of my sails.
God help us all so that we may protect our patients from these greed mongers who put profit over safety.
The fight for more staffing has been going on since I began my professional career more than 30 years ago. Our director called me into the office awhile back and told me that "she cares about the babies in our Newborn Nursery". It was almost as if she were crying (or about to do so)! When I got out of her office I realized that she was taking me for one of her "wild rides" down ******** alley!
The hospital I work in is very new - it opened on October 1, 2007. Since that time it has nearly put three other hospitals in the McAllen, TX area out of business. We do offer a great service, but with all the births we have, we still don't have enough staff to take care of what we handle. It is like that every day!
I complain about staffing nearly everyday. I haven't gotten evaluated yet but when I do, I will probably get a lot of negatives. When working, all of us "get dumped on" every day - so I have come up with a strategy. Since they (the charge RN, and the rest of management) are going to "dump" on us, I "shop" for the babies that are in our transition nursery. In other words I pick out the babies I want - I use reverse psychology. I am happy I get what I choose and I show it. Right now it floors them (those that think they are in authority). When I do what I do, I choose my babies and I already know they are coming, but they come to me on my time frame and not management! :wink2:
Now get this, one day a few weeks ago, my charge RN "dumped" a new baby on me - and I wasn't ready for a new one. In fact it was the SECOND DUMP in 10 minutes! I told her I couldn't take the new baby at that time, but she said I had to "because she was working with numbers". I told her she was doing what she did to make herself good to management and nothing more. Oh boy, what a fight! I won the battle - but lost the war that time! I even brought up education levels to her and she told me (loudly, I might add) "not to lay education on her" (she was ADN prepared and I am Diploma "grandfathered in" prepared plus I have my MS in CJ). I figured there ought to be someone that brings up education on her! After that I just took the baby and shut up - then I thought of my strategy. I will have my MSN in about a year, my question now is what will they do with me then????
If you have answers (even possible answers) lay them on me!
:yeah:
Since they (the charge RN, and the rest of management) are going to "dump" on us, I "shop" for the babies that are in our transition nursery. In other words I pick out the babies I want - I use reverse psychology. I am happy I get what I choose and I show it. Right now it floors them (those that think they are in authority). When I do what I do, I
Riseupandnurse
658 Posts
I certainly hope we get some results with the safe staffing initiative! It's great that the ANA is turning its attention to the concerns of the average nurse. I am wondering if they are doing anything about the floating without cross-training. That to me is as big a problem as the staffing. I know with my own speciality I can safely handle a much higher load than when I'm on a strange floor with staff and doctors I don't really know, medicines I rarely give, etc. I don't mind floating but some cross-training is in order, please, if a med-surg nurse is sent to the ICU or the NICU. A nurse is not a nurse is a nurse any more than a doctor is a doctor is a doctor.