Short-staffed Nursing

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

nurses, have you ever worked at a facility that was short-staffed?

what are the things that any patient or family member might see in a short-staffed facility?

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Ice water doesn't get passed.

Meds might be late.

Orders might not be taken off in a timely manner.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

bump

[grinnurse, RN]

We are always working short staffed and it shows in so many ways and what's worse is the patients commenting about that fact.

Late meds, linen changes only when soiled, may or may not be able to give baths, late orders but the worst part of working short staff, for me, is my attitude................. and the attitudes of the other nurses. It is not fair to the patients nor is it safe for the nurses.

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

-Patients not washed up, just put under the covers with a johnnie on.

-What I call "sling-shot nursing'; running in and virtually flinging meds at patients without really LOOKING at them except for doing the basic check-off that needs to be written on the assessment form. (They may lbe WNL but that may not be OK for that individual pt).

-Cautionary info may not be passes along to appropriate staff or recorded where it needs to be to be seen:

"No BP left arm" over the bed of a patient with L. AV fistula or lymphedema

"NPO" over bed of confused patient demanding food/ drink from CNA floating

to floor.

PICC flush order in MAR may not state "Groshong- no heparin"

Takes longer for collection of culture specimens; pt with undiagnosed C. Diff may be rooming with negative roommate for days longer than otherwise.

And the most insidious effect to my way of thinking; teaching becomes impossible; to newer staff, to patients and family caregivers.

:uhoh21:

[thumperRN]

-Patients not washed up, just put under the covers with a johnnie on.

-What I call "sling-shot nursing'; running in and virtually flinging meds at patients without really LOOKING at them except for doing the basic check-off that needs to be written on the assessment form. (They may lbe WNL but that may not be OK for that individual pt).

-Cautionary info may not be passes along to appropriate staff or recorded where it needs to be to be seen:

"No BP left arm" over the bed of a patient with L. AV fistula or lymphedema

"NPO" over bed of confused patient demanding food/ drink from CNA floating

to floor.

PICC flush order in MAR may not state "Groshong- no heparin"

Takes longer for collection of culture specimens; pt with undiagnosed C. Diff may be rooming with negative roommate for days longer than otherwise.

And the most insidious effect to my way of thinking; teaching becomes impossible; to newer staff, to patients and family caregivers.

:uhoh21:

This sounds like where I work to a tee - I love the people I work with, but everyday we are thrown to the wolves, and can't keep up. We can't even help eachother because we are so short staffed. The patients do comment on it too. They are the whole reason we are there! I feel like I am cheating them, because they put their trust in me. Let's face it, we are in a business that we literally hold precious lives in our hands - the patients suffer in the mere name of cutting costs. I keep telling myself that it's not like this everywhere, and when my contract is up this summer, I can go to a safer place.

[weekend warrior, BSN, RN]

I have worked in an ER dept that for a while ( months ) it was common to have only 3-4 nurses scheduled in a shift.. we called in alot of overtime, had alot of relief nurses, never got breaks, had people screaming at us all the time about how long the wait was, pts had to be chosen between the really sick and pretty sick of who would get their orders carried out first.

Staff morale was terrible.

One time I was the only one scheduled to work one night! ( after the evenings went home at 11, it would have been me - yeah right... ) they got people in, and I was the only one who didnt' get paid double time that night!

[jat0602]

I think the worst part of nursing shortage is that management only looks at numbers, not the type of care residents adn families are receiving. Families require more attention than most residents. They think that as long as treatments are getting done, meds thrown in, and some kind of charting done is fully staffed. What happens to the little lady who never gets a visitor and lights up when you enter the room. She would give anything for a small conversation, but if you did that, what wouldn't get done? What about the back rub, the few extra drinks of water, or the smallest compliment? It gets lost in the shuffle.

[applesRN]

Running in circles , putting out thousands of little fires. Dressings not getting changed. Forms not getting completed. Orders not getting initiated. Stress and burnout. HUCs missing orders. CNAs missing glucometers or other important stuff- like baths. Teaching not getting done. No one gets walked. And back injuries- lots of them.

Just went to a conference that showed how the death rate statistically increases for each extra patient on a nurses load.

But it's the numbers that count. Just got an open letter from the CEO today saying that we made money last year, but 'not our goal' profit (we're supposed to be non-profit!) and that we must work more efficiently- and hopes that retirees and the turnover rate positions that won't be refilled will be enough to get us to that point- or some employees will have to be cut. OK

It makes no sense.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I feel unsafe when we are understaffed. The administration does all they can to get enough help including working themselves. My NM has worked many a night shift. Understaffing is sometimes unavoidable and there have been times that's it's been due to a co-worker having a family emergency. Everyone understands, of course, but it's hard when we're short staffed no matter the reason.