I'm a new nurse, in my job for just a year now working on a med/surg floor. Being older than my co-workers and having previous work history, I tend to be more adamant about some of the rules and ways things should run.
My most experienced co-worker ( on this shift) has 20 months experience due to the high turnover here: 100% at 2 years is the current according to recruitment.
Anyway, I was made charge a couple nights ago and things were just insane as usual. We were running short 1 nurse and we were getting slammed with admits. 5 in the first hour plus an AMA and an irate family to deal with because day shift had neglected to tell them they could'nt leave until the pt urinated - pulled their cath @ 1900.
I had 5 patients: one with SaO2 @ 63%, one getting 2 units PRBC's with Lasix and fluid overload and one with 9/10 pain and we were out of meds as usual.
My co-workers were in a similar bind with their crazy night.
The Unit secretary calls and says I'm getting an admit. I said it was wrong and the assignment sheet was made up differently, she told me that too bad I was getting it anyway the House Supervisor wanted that room.
I called the House Sup and refused saying we were completely overwhelmed and would not accept the pt. His response was to tell ER to put the pt in the room and I would call later for report.
In other words they dumped the pt and left! Further they never even told me the pt was there. I got really pissed and I even called the NM at home. Understand, Admin is only on duty here 0730- 1530 , we have NO admin here on nights weekends or holidays.
The NM's answer was I don't have enough time management and everybody runs short and we all have to deal with it.
As to having no meds from pharmacy - a regular issue here - she said that I need to address the issue and I should also confront the Unit Secretary to tell them they don't assign duties.
It's always the answer here: Deal with it & You do something about it.
The last year has been entirely like this: 5 & 6 hours to get meds from pharmacy, no stock of different doses so we have to give 6 or 12 pills for a dose, we spent two days over memorial days with no tylenol because we were out of stock and the always standard answer from Admin that we need to deal with it.
Anyway, I'm bad, I got really mad and threw a chart at the desk and was rude to the house supervisor.
Now I'm not afraid of firing, after all they've had staffers threaten homicide and they don't get dismissed, but I am afraid for my licence and the likelihood of bad references for a new job.
Recently they gave poor reviews to two staffers to keep them here and they were very blunt to them saying that they didn't need to leave so they would not get positive evals.
I do have a foot in the door at an agency for various PRN & contract work. Should I cut and run? Give notice and go?
Is it like this everywhere? The hospitals I did clinicals at in school sure seemed better.
RUN RUN RUN. the staffig you described is way beyond unsafe. No wonder your unit has such a high turnover. Don't waste another minute earning seniority in that zoo. Get out before if kills you out you make an error that kills someone else. My biggest fear for you is that a facility that allows that kind of unsafe staffing is not likely to stand behind you when something goes wrong-and it will! Thier negligence is endangering your licence. As far as calling the administrator on call- A+ for guts but if they cared about patient care you wouldn't be in that position to begin with. There is an old saying " don't teach a pig to whistle--it wastes your time and annoys the pig" Calling the big boss at night is a bit out of line and isn't likely to accomplish anything except a bad job reference. In the situation you decsribed there is no reasonable response-except 2 weeks notice.
Specializes in Med/surg,Tele,PACU,ER,ICU,LTAC,HH,Neuro.
I worked in a small hospital with a pharmacy problem (not as severe but).
I dropped a pill and had to waste it. I called the pharmacy to explain I needed a replacement.
He told me...lol
If it hasn't been on the floor for 36.5 seconds it is fine. Don't throw it away.
It is a shame to have dropped it in the first place, it being an expensive pill to replace (not Tyleno). I guess they just don't know who to charge for it.
I'm a new nurse, in my job for just a year now working on a med/surg floor. Being older than my co-workers and having previous work history, I tend to be more adamant about some of the rules and ways things should run.
My most experienced co-worker ( on this shift) has 20 months experience due to the high turnover here: 100% at 2 years is the current according to recruitment.
Anyway, I was made charge a couple nights ago and things were just insane as usual. We were running short 1 nurse and we were getting slammed with admits. 5 in the first hour plus an AMA and an irate family to deal with because day shift had neglected to tell them they could'nt leave until the pt urinated - pulled their cath @ 1900.
I had 5 patients: one with SaO2 @ 63%, one getting 2 units PRBC's with Lasix and fluid overload and one with 9/10 pain and we were out of meds as usual.
My co-workers were in a similar bind with their crazy night.
The Unit secretary calls and says I'm getting an admit. I said it was wrong and the assignment sheet was made up differently, she told me that too bad I was getting it anyway the House Supervisor wanted that room.
I called the House Sup and refused saying we were completely overwhelmed and would not accept the pt. His response was to tell ER to put the pt in the room and I would call later for report.
In other words they dumped the pt and left! Further they never even told me the pt was there. I got really pissed and I even called the NM at home. Understand, Admin is only on duty here 0730- 1530 , we have NO admin here on nights weekends or holidays.
The NM's answer was I don't have enough time management and everybody runs short and we all have to deal with it.
As to having no meds from pharmacy - a regular issue here - she said that I need to address the issue and I should also confront the Unit Secretary to tell them they don't assign duties.
It's always the answer here: Deal with it & You do something about it.
The last year has been entirely like this: 5 & 6 hours to get meds from pharmacy, no stock of different doses so we have to give 6 or 12 pills for a dose, we spent two days over memorial days with no tylenol because we were out of stock and the always standard answer from Admin that we need to deal with it.
Anyway, I'm bad, I got really mad and threw a chart at the desk and was rude to the house supervisor.
Now I'm not afraid of firing, after all they've had staffers threaten homicide and they don't get dismissed, but I am afraid for my licence and the likelihood of bad references for a new job.
Recently they gave poor reviews to two staffers to keep them here and they were very blunt to them saying that they didn't need to leave so they would not get positive evals.
I do have a foot in the door at an agency for various PRN & contract work. Should I cut and run? Give notice and go?
Is it like this everywhere? The hospitals I did clinicals at in school sure seemed better.
Frustrated and burning out!
fizz2nurse
Kudos to you!!! I don't feel that you were out of line at all. Due to other people's shortcomings, your job is even harder. What these places don't realize is that, as busy nurses, we don't have time to be searching all night/day for what we need, doing pharmacy's undone job, and etc. Then for them to give you that admission without letting you know about it was just plain wrong. That happens a lot at my job. No wonder they have such a high turnover rate.
suanna
1,549 Posts
RUN RUN RUN. the staffig you described is way beyond unsafe. No wonder your unit has such a high turnover. Don't waste another minute earning seniority in that zoo. Get out before if kills you out you make an error that kills someone else. My biggest fear for you is that a facility that allows that kind of unsafe staffing is not likely to stand behind you when something goes wrong-and it will! Thier negligence is endangering your licence. As far as calling the administrator on call- A+ for guts but if they cared about patient care you wouldn't be in that position to begin with. There is an old saying " don't teach a pig to whistle--it wastes your time and annoys the pig" Calling the big boss at night is a bit out of line and isn't likely to accomplish anything except a bad job reference. In the situation you decsribed there is no reasonable response-except 2 weeks notice.