Staffing??? 2 licensed nurses on weekend night shift but only 1 on weeknights...

[baseballmama]

I've been blessed with an interesting experience of late. I work a night shift M-F. Yes, I know weekends off it's all great except you sleep all weekend!

I am the only RN in the entire facility on night shift in a 145 bed facility. I work the ventilator unit, but am expected to go to other units should something arise and require the attention of an RN. I am a fairly new grad and made this very clear when hired.

My primary unit currently has 23 Residents with a capacity for 26. Of that I have 14 Residents on a vent at night; 10 Residents on continuous feed; 2 receive a bolus feed. I typically have one QMA (they can only do PO meds - and only 5 of the Residents have PO meds), two CNAs and one RT...but more often than not it is just me and two CNAs and one RT.

After a particularly hellacious night...my realization that this is NOT safe became abundantly clear. To further fuel my insight I discovered that the night shift on the weekends has one RN and one LPN...ALWAYS!

Why would anyone think the night shift is more difficult on the weekend versus during the week???

I am meeting the ADON/DON to discuss my concerns today. I am wondering what thoughts are about advising that I feel the situation is very unsafe and that my license is jeopardized working without another licensed nurse...and that if they cannot find another licensed nurse to work with me to please remove me from the schedule immediately.

I already know I am not going to be the catalyst for change at this facility...but I don't want to put myself in a position where I could potentially lose my license either.

[Crispy Critter]

How did your meeting go? Give us an update! I would also be fearful for my license and my residents.

[baseballmama]

I told them that I could not work without another licensed nurse that it wasn't safe. If they didn't want to assign another nurse then I asked them to kindly remove me from the schedule. I was assigned an LVN to work with me. :) I did get offered a position from the local hospital right after that...so now I'm in an acute care setting and already feeling much better!!!