What needs changing in nursing?

AMINI'SNURSE · Apr 29, 2006

i think nurse to pt ratio, needs to change. for example i work at a nursing home on day shift and i had 25 pts. i thought that was to much..it seem when you were done passing am meds pm meds were due..i think is easy to get burn out easy with a heavy load. :nono:

gdean1 · Apr 29, 2006

What's really needed is a reality check for current nurses. No other profession has such a need for compassion and caring providers and yet too many nurses act as though the patients are just in their way. I know there's a nursing shortage that will only worsen in the coming years but no one should go into nursing for the money and no one should stay in nursing for it either. Those who have lost the heart and passion for patient care should find another way to waste their day.

ABQLNDRN · Apr 29, 2006

i think nurse to pt ratio needs to change. for example i work at a nursing home on day shift and i had 25 pts. i thought that was to much..it seem when you were done passing am meds pm meds were due..i think is easy to get burn out easy with a heavy load.[/quote']
HOLY COW!!!! THAT'S CRAZINESS!!!! That's nurse abuse! Thank you for that idea. I think one of the other groups talked about that; I have to check.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2006

image, respect.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2006

When I worked noc shift at a nursing home, I was the only nurse for 65, pts. Yes that's correct, 65. This included 9 tube feeders and 2 trachs, and numerous total care, wanders and frequent fallers. I didn't get to take a lunch break for 2 years.

I now work in hemodialysis. I am the only nurse in the facility for 32 pts a day.

What needs to change in nursing?

1. Work loads for nurses are unrealistic, overwhelming and unsafe.

2. We are not respected in the work place.

3. Working conditions are generally poor.

4. Disruptive physician behavior and horizontal violence/bullying.

Do some searching and browsing on this site- you will many many in-depth and detailed posts on the subject.

nursedawn67, LPN · Apr 29, 2006

i think nurse to pt ratio needs to change. for example i work at a nursing home on day shift and i had 25 pts. i thought that was to much..it seem when you were done passing am meds pm meds were due..i think is easy to get burn out easy with a heavy load.[/quote']
Yes definately nurse/patient ratio! We no sooner pass meds and some days are turning around within an hour and having to pass again. Also it is also almost impossible to stay in your hour before hour after med range. The funny things is the government expects all this great care, but not the staffing to do it.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 29, 2006

Personally, I'd be happy if nursing supervisors and managers would just treat us as adults---not third-graders who need a bunch of stupid rules and busywork to keep us in line. Why do so many seem to think that we won't come to work, do our jobs, behave like professionals, or simply do the right thing unless someone is looking over our shoulders and critiquing our performance every minute? And what school of management teaches them that talking down to us is going to make us more productive?

Another way nursing needs to change is, of course, to stop pushing nurses to the limits of their endurance and then telling them to 'suck it up' when they are stretched beyond those limits. Nurses are not pack mules; our bodies were not designed to go 12 hours at full tilt without needing food, water, and a bathroom. No amount of financial compensation is worth what this sort of abuse does to the body and the spirit. :nono:

OK, getting down off my soapbox now.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2006

I second that, Marla.

clee1 · Apr 29, 2006

Personally, I'd be happy if nursing supervisors and managers would just treat us as adults---not third-graders who need a bunch of stupid rules and busywork to keep us in line. Why do so many seem to think that we won't come to work, do our jobs, behave like professionals, or simply do the right thing unless someone is looking over our shoulders and critiquing our performance every minute? And what school of management teaches them that talking down to us is going to make us more productive?
Another way nursing needs to change is, of course, to stop pushing nurses to the limits of their endurance and then telling them to 'suck it up' when they are stretched beyond those limits. Nurses are not pack mules; our bodies were not designed to go 12 hours at full tilt without needing food, water, and a bathroom. No amount of financial compensation is worth what this sort of abuse does to the body and the spirit.
OK, getting down off my soapbox now.

:yeahthat: AMEN! :bow:

tryingtomakeit, RN · Apr 29, 2006

My thoughts exactly, Marla ...

Retired R.N. · Apr 29, 2006

When I worked noc shift at a nursing home, I was the only nurse for 65, pts. Yes that's correct, 65. This included 9 tube feeders and 2 trachs, and numerous total care, wanders and frequent fallers. I didn't get to take a lunch break for 2 years.
I now work in hemodialysis. I am the only nurse in the facility for 32 pts a day.
What needs to change in nursing?
1. Work loads for nurses are unrealistic, overwhelming and unsafe.
2. We are not respected in the work place.
3. Working conditions are generally poor.
4. Disruptive physician behavior and horizontal violence/bullying.
Do some searching and browsing on this site- you will many many in-depth and detailed posts on the subject.

What most needs changing in nursing is the behavior of the nurses who refuse to take action against such ridiculous conditions that endanger themselves and their patients. Until nurses take responsibility for eliminating these dangerous practices, we can hardly expect the general public to consider us to be educated professionals worthy of respect.

We all need to stop bragging about how many patients we can handle and how many hours we can work without eating or using the restroom.