Things You Wish You Could Tell Managers that Love to Short Staff

[Martinette]

Just imagine that you could have a few minutes or hours or however long you need inside a room with hospital administrators/managers.

Imagine that you could say anything you wanted to them and educate them about Nurse/Patient ratios and the reality of life as a bedside nurse without any consequences to yourself and career.

What would you say?

What would you say to managers that allow a 35 bed medical/surgical ward to be staffed with only 2 RN's and 2 health care assistants during the day. Keep in mind that these guys have been refusing to hire staff, have tried to get rid of nurses and are defending these horrendous ratios by saying that if the care is bad than the nurses are at fault. They accuse the nurses of having a bad attitude.

Multiple staff nurses have written letter after letter to these same managers and are told that there are no staffing problems. The staff nurses have told the managers and head nurses that the staff are working their tails off and the patient care is horrendous.

When patients complain to management about the care they are told that the staff nurses will discuss the complaint at a meeting. They will not admit that they are staffing the ward dangerously because they will not admit liability. Patients on this ward are suffering all kinds of bed sores and necrotic heals, the staff are exhausted and in constant pain. The managers are still refusing to allow anything more than one or two more new hire members of staff and are refusing to meet with the staff and answering their letters.

What would you say to these guys if you could talk to them? Keep in mind that even though this ward is over 35 beds and acute med /surg many many of the patients are total care of the elderly/palliative care and stroke patients. The suffering is horrendous.

They are often left with 2 or 3 nurses and 1 or 2 assistants in the day time on this ward. There have been times when there was only 1 RN and no assistant to 24 patients (multiple fresh post ops). They still get slammed with acute and chronic admits at these times.

Fire Away and don't hold back.

[squeakykitty]

I would think that after "I quit", I would also have a few things to say to the state and the media about what the pts. are going through.

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

I would probably say, Take your psych meds, get a life and stop playing games with peoples lives for fun. And then I would watch them cry and vent all their personal issues and how they were abused as children etc etc etc....I would hug them and tell them to get another career and then hand them a scholarship to McDonalds university of french fry chef.

[HuggyPuglet]

1. I know you get a bonus for cheating patients out of proper patient care, so you benefit monetarily for creating this horrible environment. I know this, and so does God, then

2. I QUIT, and then

3. I'll be watching for a time when you are in a nursing home. Then I will come back to work - at the same facility you are in. Have a happy life.

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I actually went up to my manager after being the only tech on a acute care of the elderly unit from 7 am to 3 pm and told him if he did not do anything about the current staffiung issue he would see my resignation letter.

Few weeks later he hired 2 morning techs and 1 evening tech.

If we as a whole collaborate together than administration has no choice but to give in, they dont want confrontation. Plus if you threaten to call the news or Board of Nursing then they will do anything.. well almost anything

[MUUGUZI]

I agree with Happyloser--our profession really needs to band together and let "the powers that be" know that there could be some serious repercussions if they don't improve staffing.

About a month ago, the DON refused to come in because she had no one to watch her kids....told me that if she had a husband, she would be more that happy to cover the call-in's position. Nevermind the fact that not only has the executive director come in on several occasions to work the floor (she is a nurse aide), she's brought her kids and made a palette on her office floor. We have been under fire code for more times than I care to admit. I recently heard that the the girl who works as the social services director (without any s.s. degree or even being a nurse aide) worked on the floor on nocs and stated "I hope the residents don't pee betweeen now and 5 am because I dont know how to do peri-care" !!! The DON (apparently) responded "dont worry just pass the ice and it'll be alright"........SAY WHAT?????????....I wish I could say that I have seen and heard it all, but people will not ever stop flabbergasting me!....I quit and got a different job.

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

ye gods what trust do u work for

there are some with such bad reputations in my area

nurses don't have many job options at present but out patient have no otptions . which is the same for many usa patient using hmo etc.

not sure what you can do the best option the media is a carer loser

[proud2b1]

:cheers:

Here's what I'd say to the administrator:

"Short-staffing doesn't hurt me, because I can easily walk to the restroom when I get the urge. Understaffing hurts the immobile patients who feel tormented and embarassed after they've urinated and defecated on themselves because they couldn't hold it any longer. They use their call lights, but nobody can get to them on time. I'd love to see you spend 24 hours in a bedfast state on the other side of the call light when we're understaffed!"

cheers to you!!Right on!

[proud2b1]

:barf01:I would say,"gosh you look so nice today".I bet these people living here wonder why you always look so nice and clean and gussied up,just to come in and walk right past them.Oh,and some of you look like your eating pretty well too!:rolleyes:I also like your choices of lunch daily,I can usually smell what you have ordered out for.I and they get to see you sitting there eating it too.Trouble is the res. are usually waiting to be fed,because we are short!:devil:Just remember we try to do as you say,and not as you do{thank god}!If it was not for our time and effort working for the crumbs you throw at us,you wouldnt be where you are and would not be able to afford Applebees every day!!

"oh and by the,way :lol_hittiTake this job and shove it I aint workin here no more"!