Texas BON to issue Position statement on Nursing Work hours

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

from:

texas board of nursing bulletin - january 2007

texas bon draft position statement targets nursing work hours

...in collaboration with the texas nurses

association (tna) and their

governmental affairs committee

(gac), the board charged the nursing

practice advisory committee (npac)

at the october 2006 board meeting to

develop a position statement on nursing

work hours and the impact on nursing

errors and patient safety....

...the draft position statement

incorporates the research on nursing

work hours. in addition, the npac

members agreed that ongoing

collaboration between nurses and

employers is necessary to assure patient

safety through schedules and staffing

plans that allow for adequate rest and

recuperation time for the nurse.

readers of the bne bulletin are invited

to participate in an online survey

concerning this draft position statement

at http://www.bne.state.tx.us/practice/

workhoursurvey.html

nurses and the

public will have an additional

opportunity to provide input on the

nursing work hours position statement

by attending a public hearing on this

issue to be held wednesday, april 18,

2007. the board will consider adoption

of this position statement at the regularly

scheduled board meeting april 19, 2007.

see newsletter: ftp://www.bne.state.tx.us/jan07.pdf

article starts pg 1; statement on pg 4-5. karen

[RN34TX]

Well I don't know about all that.

If the Texas BNE is so concerned about patient safety and errors I think that thay could better spend their time and energy discussing the widespread practice of dangerous staffing ratios in Texas hospitals.

Besides that, I know what I can handle as far as work hours go and do not not need the BNE interfering with a paternalistic "Father Knows Best" position statement on what my work hours should be. I'm an experienced professional who can and should be left with full autonomy with regard to my work hours. I can regulate myself thank you.

I'm a healthy adult and perfectly capable of doing 4 12-hour shifts consecutively. (Their position statement recommends no more than 3).

With that said, I know that some people cannot handle 12-hour shifts period let alone more than 3 in a row, and I know that in some facilities the nurses aren't given a choice.

No one should be forced to work those kinds of hours if they aren't able or willing to do so and if this position statement prevents that from happening, then that's great.

However, I wouldn't want to see it being used to regulate someone's work hours who chooses to do so because they want a long stretch of days off without using vacation, school schedules, childcare issues, or for whatever their reasons are for doing 16-hour shifts or 4 or 5 12-hour shifts in a row.

[bonodonnaonaroll]

Absoutly agree with previous poster. At my current location the Nurses are taking average6-7 patients (Med-Surg), usually with no NA. Occassionally they have had to take up to 9!

Why can't the board mandate staffing ratios?

Julie