So Frustrated (venting)

[Sonjailana]

So work has been really, really rough lately. There's an older staff nurse that seems to have beef with me, though luckily she wasn't on tonight. We are really short on money, and therefore are having more and more patients.

Tonight I started out with the max number of patients I can have from 7-11 (five) and got a new admit from ER at like 7:10, during report. When I finally got out of report, I went and got her settled. I was running super late. It was like 8:30 and I had only seen two patients. So, I walk into room B, and there is the patient, family, doctor. Of course, the patient's main concern?? The TV malfunction. So I'm messing with that, all tangled between the itty room, people, IV pole, vitals machine, bed, etc, and I am working on the call light console and hit it. Well, the secretary comes on, and I'm like, "I've got it!" Apparently I came off as rude, because she was upset. She said, "You don't have to be rude about it, it's just my job." Apparently my tone of voice left something to be desired. So I apologized profusely and tried to make amends with her, but I feel REALLY bad.

So I move on and see patient's three, four, and five. Five has a BP of 198/93, clonidine and IV enalapril aren't touching it. Luckily doctor is nice. Patient three is supposed to go down for CT (oh crap! the contrast) but I am able to send it down with her and she's ok. Doctors for three never return my calls and somehow have locked all her order sets (some weird computer glitch). So, I call the IT people and number five sets off her bed alarm and has stooled in her diaper. Luckily, my wonderful staff members manage that.

So I am going back to patient one when I find out I'll be sent home without pay. Apparently we're overstaffed (hahaha...right).

I feel better. Phew.:uhoh21:

[RN1982]

How long were you there before they sent you home?

[Sonjailana]

4 hours, 7-11. Most of this happened b/w 7-930 though.

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

If you clocked in-and then clocked out, you better get paid.

Sounds like a good night to be downtimed though!!!

But yes, you need to get paid. Dont let that one go or else they will try to do that to you and the rest of the staff over and over.

[Pudnluv, ASN, RN]

They have to pay you for time worked. That is not an option for them. But you should thank your lucky stars you got to home when you need. Sounds like the nightmare was just beginning!

[RN1982]

If they don't pay you for the hours you have worked, I would tell them that you will be filing a complaint with the dept. of labor.

[shellsgogreen]

are you part of a union? i would question the leaving without pay thing - seems to me that if you've clocked in, and taken care of people - whether it's for two hours or twelve, it's still work, and it should be accounted for.

these two hour time frames add up, and before you know it, you've worked the equivalent of a whole shift - without pay.

in my hospital if something like this happens (ie, "accidental" overstaffing) then they are required to pay us for four hours, whether we stay or not, so it's not surprising that they rarely overschedule:uhoh21:

[GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN]

I would have been thrilled to be sent home, imagine the crap for the next 8 hrs !!!!!!!!!!!

[morte, LPN, LVN]

my presumption is , that she was scheduled for a 12, in four hour increments.....and it was decided she wasnt needed after the first 4....

and i wouldnt have been worrying about the tv, call the sup or whomever, and keep going...

[Sonjailana]

So, I did get paid for the time there, just not the rest of the shift after...so my paycheck will once again be short. It's just frustrating because I want to work....and patient's sometimes are so concerned about little stuff..I wanted to say, you're an appy that was supposed to go home but you're refusing oral pain meds, if you want to watch tv so much, go home! You're too well to be here...but of course I didn't.