Several issues with management, please help

Hi all,

I wanted to briefly discuss some issues I am having with management at the hospital I am employed at. I work in the ED, night shift, we see A LOT of patients. We've always been short staffed, but since Hurricane Sandy, we've experienced that impact of being understaffed with absolutely no wiggle room. We had 6 nurses on medical/maternity, and on a good night, we're looking at 14 staffed nurses in the entire ED, when we really need somewhere around 20-25. There are nights where I take handoff report and have 15 patients, nights where I am in the Trauma with one float RN, with multiple traumas coming in and out. I am scared for my patients, first and foremost, and I am scared for my license. This is not safe under any circumstances. I have missed my lunch break several times both last month and this month (more on that later). And I am more than exhausted.

We've informed administration/management to no avail. We've filled out and submitted numerous POA (Protest of Assignment) forms, nothing is being done. I found out only recently that our Executive Director does not plan to hire any more night shift nurses as she feels we do not do much during the night shift.

I am starting a petition that will be sent to administration and even to those that supercede administration (basically anyone considered 'the powers that be'). I know if I send the petition myself, there will be some sort of retaliation as this has become a regular reaction from administration, even after submitting POAs. So I am getting my coworkers involved to see what we can change around here. If you could offer any advice on further steps to take, please do. I contacted my labor union rep, but he hasn't returned my phone call.

I also missed lunch 2 holidays recently, which I reported to my Charge nurse and on my timesheet. One day, on my way home, I remembered that I forgot to fill in the hours for a day I worked and I located my timesheet to fill it in. I noticed that someone had used white-out correction fluid to edit my lunch break reimbursement. I notified my ADN right away. She was very short with me, nasty, rude, etc. Here's the thing, is anyone allowed to actually make edits/corrections to a staff member's timesheet without first seeking authorization? I was told by our timekeeper that I should have been notified by my ADN if they weren't planning on reimbursing me for my lunch break.

Please let me know what can be done in this particular circumstance. I feel like administration is abusing their power!!!