Safety in hospitals with unions

[newgradchad]

I NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS AGAIN. THIS IS NOT RIGHT NOR IS IT FAIR.

Christmas Eve and all throughout the hospital there are nurses calling out sick. I've been a nurse for 2 years and work on a cardiothoracic stepdown unit where the nurse to patient ratio is 1:4. On this particular day 1 nurse calls out, they can't find a replacement. The nurses on duty had to provide care to 6 patients! on a stepdown unit, with post open heart, pci, pacemaker patients on gtts and required frequent rounds for monitoring! I had patients complain to me about their care and one post-pacemaker patient develop a hematoma on my time. This hospital has a union and I came to this hospital thinking i would never have to deal with providing unsafe care. I'm afraid that I'm going to lose my license after this hectic day. I NEVER EVER want to experience this ever again and this should never even happen in the first place. I can't help but think that some of my patients outcomes are worse due to the fact I wasn't able to provide safe patient care. And if i were to voice this issue, it seems like no one would care. What is the point of union?! So senior nurses get time off?! I think that is the only benefit to working in a hospital with a union. I just needed to vent.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Are you saying that the union is to blame somehow for your unit being short-staffed? I'm not making that connection. Unions do not control sick calls, nor can they force people to come in to replace a sick call any more than the employer can. There are usually mechanisms in place to report unsafe working conditions to both union and employer. That is the protection a union provides, not a guarantee that you'll never have to work short. By filing a report on unsafe working conditions your employer and the union will be contractually required to examine the situation and make efforts to resolve it. It also provides you with some protection in the event of untoward events because you will have documented the unsafe working conditions. Rather than condemn your union as worthless, maybe you should call them and present your concerns.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

And... what does any of this have to do with the union? If you want mandated ratios, get on the bargaining committee for your next contract and fight for them.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

My take on the OP, is that the nurses calling off are protected from management by the union. Frankly when I worked in a union hospital, it was still common sentiment that you had best not call in on a w/e or holiday without being at deaths door. If it is the same nurses doing this, they are laying themselves a paper trail to getting fired.

[mdfog10]

Janfrn said it well. Even with a Union it takes all members to enforce the contract. I am a member and every day at work I need to know my contract and my rights. If the hospital can get away with short staffing you they will. It takes us to hold them to it. Filing a assignment despite objection form may or may not bring immediate change but it will protect you and help in the fight to make conditions better. The hospital expects 100% from me , so I will also hold the hospital to their responsibility.