What would YOU do????Hmmm...

[BETSRN]

You need to get your manager involved. Sounds like an accient waiting to happen.

[BETSRN]

So what are you doing about the incompetent nurse that you mentioned? I am glad the evening worked out, but this other nurse is someone you are going to have to deal with. How is she incompetent? Is she jsut lacking skills (that she could develop) or is it worse than that?

[mother/babyRN, RN]

She is inexperienced, yet counted as someone with full delivery knowledge. She, for the purposes of staffing is incompetent, but as a nurse, I think I mis spoke....Management is WELL aware, but one nurse body counts just as much as another whether or not one is experienced, well learned, or not, unfortunately....

[SmilingBluEyes]

sounds like a situation where I work...

new RN (prior LPN) with med-surge experience but no ob----

yet they did count her as regular staff.

she cannot do L and D----

She cannot do nursery----

She cannot recover babies after delivery---

she is a wonderful nurse and in no way incompetent but lacks several key skills to the operation of our LDRP/GYN floor

yet she is counted as staffing---

it's very hard on us when this happens, especially when there is a baby (or 3) in the nursery like the other night.

I have brought up my concerns to our manager time and again as well as the other charge nurses. No one could understand my complaints, since after all, she can do PP and GYN------til we got slammed with several labor patients at once and yet had THREE babies our SCN---ahhh THEN those other charge nurses saw my concerns....and...

FINALLY OTHERS ELSE SAW THE LIGHT and now she will pulled off nightshift to days for an intense orientation to L and D and newborn nursing. FINALLY. (whew)

So keep tooting your horn. LOUD AND LONG.... It's unsafe to count an incapable or incompetent nursing in your staffing mix, period. DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT like I did------eventually your manager will have to listen or face the music for an unfavorable outcome down the road! Good luck!

Sadly they tried this again for us. New hire brand-new RN (wish paramedicine experience). Put her right onto nightshift, regular staff. WHEN WILL THEY LEARN??????? SO again, my big mouth is a running. Dayshift would in NO way tolerate this situation and neither will I.....

sigh.

But you have to do what is right and safe for your unit....

[mother/babyRN, RN]

I am going into another night of fire...Can YOU come with me????Wish me (us) luck! And I WILL document, assuming I survive..Ironically, my performance appraisal is scheduled for the morning.......Could get VERY interesting.....