Unsure about Nursing

[KSjo88, BSN]

I have been a nurse since 2013 and today I believe was my breaking point. I was given 3 surgicals all at one time and 20-30 minutes later received two more surgicals. The PACU nurses were told they would have to wait 15 minutes between patients as they were all being assigned to the same nurse and they refused and said that they were coming up anyways. Then complained to my charge that I wasn't in the room waiting for them because I was in my other new surgicals room getting report. I literally went room to room just getting report, no time for vitals, assessment or going over call light. Nothing. Not to mention only one of the 5 patients didn't have an epidural or PCA. This is not the first time something like this has happened. Usually just 2 surgicals at once or going through 10 patients in one day on a med/surg unit. But today was such an extreme....and I have watched as our patients get sicker and our ratios increase that I literally do not want to do this anymore. This wasn't just being a little overwhelmed. This was a scary situation in which I attempted to stand up for myself and say I couldn't take anymore or they needed to wait and I was walked all over. My license didn't matter. Why should I work myself to death for no raise and mediocre pay.

[Wuzzie]

And your charge nurse did what to help the situation?

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

What is your workplace policy regarding Safe Harbor? You can essentially say you are unable to take the assignment because it's not safe. That may well result in you being "retrained" and nothing actually happening about acuity, but it's a step in preserving your license.