Students--what to do if unsafe staffing?

[JudithL_in_NH]

Fellow students, I'm eight weeks away from graduation and working on a paper regarding safe staffing. I'd appreciate input if you have the time

1) Has the issue of safe staffing been addressed thus far in your education as a nurse? Has your educational institution give you any tools/methodology/procedure to follow if you feel an assignment is potentially unsafe for you once you're at the novice level of practice?

2) In general, do you feel your educational institution is empowering you to act as an advocate for yourself and for your profession? If so, how?

THANKS!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I'll graduate in June. We have not discussed your first point, yet, though professional practice issues like that are covered extensively during our last 6 weeks.

However, we have definitely been enouraged to be advocates for our patients and for ourselves. It has been drummed into our heads to collaborate with docs and other members of the team. I'm in my critical care rotation right now, and the answer is often "do it now and ask for permission later" when a pt. is potentially crashing.