Who should make patient assignments??

[D.R.A.]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am curious who makes patient assignments on your units. Particularly, new pt assignments. Pts arriving to the floor after shift start. Is it your Director, your Charge Nurse, or you HUC/Unit secretary? Please include why or why not you think it is appropriate for that person to make patient assignments.

Also, do you believe that it would be appropriate/safe for a HUC/Unit secretary to make patient assignments? Why or why not?

I have included a poll.

Thanks in advance.

[Dranger]

For critical care whether it be ICU or PCU the charge takes 1 patient usually and helps fill in for breaks. Other than that they are way too busy.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I completely agree. Let me add, how would you feel about the HUC making new pt assignments to nurses, including the charge, based on her assessment of how many pts each nurse should have, and that assessment being based solely on numbers and having nothing to do with acuity?

HUC's are not nurses, so they are not capable of understanding acuity/how pt. mix can affect a workload. It should be the charge, with input from staff.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Is there a specific question you have? I feel like you're dancing around an issue

[anon456, BSN, RN]

The charge nurse. They know what's going on, they get updates, and ours are very good at asking if our current assignment is good or if the patients need to be broken up.

[D.R.A.]

Is there a specific question you have? I feel like you're dancing around an issue

Oh, there's definitely an issue!! But my question was really as stated. The issue, well that's another thread.

[D.R.A.]

I'll be getting into that over on the leadership forum. Feel free to follow over there. All input is greatly appreciated. I really can't tell you how much I value coming here, and obtaining mentoring from other nurses.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Assignments are by room order.

Simple and stupid.

Getting somebody to change a time honored tradition is impossible.

Anybody can divide the unit up into 3,4,5 sections. Usually it's whoever shows up first.

[D.R.A.]

Assignments are by room order.

Simple and stupid.

Getting somebody to change a time honored tradition is impossible.

Anybody can divide the unit up into 3,4,5 sections. Usually it's whoever shows up first.

Whoever shows up first being whom? The janitor? Housekeeping? Nursing staff?

[D.R.A.]

I don't want to assume that you are stating your assignments are not done based on acuity, but are they?

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I don't want to assume that you are stating your assignments are not done based on acuity, but are they?

Acuity is not even a factor.

Some nights you coast and some nights you crash and burn.

Housekeeping COULD do it, since it's just simple math, but generally the first nurse who arrives to work divides the unit into equal parts IN ORDER.

[D.R.A.]

May I ask if you work in a skilled nursing facility? An inpatient hospital? ER? Are you happy with the way in which patients are assigned?

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I work in an acute care hospital.

The assignments have been done this way forever.

I guess I'm just used to it. I like it on the nights I coast.

The newer nurses have been rioting. I think the system will

change as more newer nurses are hired.

But right now we continue with the room number system.