Staffing and covid

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

I am interested in what some facilities are doing with thier staffing and people going out of town when there are hot spots. We initially had a travel ban. Texas also had mandatory testing so we had some refuse to take it and had to be off 14 days without pay. So the travel ban is somewhat lifted except you have to fill out a form and depending if your going near a hotspot you understand that you will have to self quarantine for 7 days then take a covid test prior to returning to work. Some are taking it seriously some are not and it’s messing with staffing. Ideas?

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

Let me guess, 30:1 patient ratio and now you're extremely short staffed when someone is forced to take time off?

My idea: learn from this.  Make sure you have staff.  Fight to make sure that your facility will actually hire nurses.

[dortizjr1]

Does anyone have an example of a PRN/Per diem staffing model that is working for their organization? 

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

My DON does our staffing and it is crazy. We have a separate COVID unit and staffing that has shorted us else where. We are set up where we can get some part time nurses to even just come in for med pass then have 1 nurse cover 2 halls. I am so ready for covid to be over. Plus testing twice weekly because of our county positivity rate kills us to because then they are out for 10-14 days.

[falcon53192]

I had a question. My employer at an outpatient surgery center discovered an employee that had covid. There was not contact tracing involved after she was sent home (she's been sick and out for 2 weeks now). I have inquired and management says they can't say anything because of HIPAA, but shouldn't my employer inform us that we've been exposed to covid??? There hasn't been one word. Is this legal? Shouldn't they HAVE to tell us?? Not one word that I've been working next to someone with covid. The only reason I know she has covid is because I know her friends outside of work and they told me.