Working Without UAPs

[JohnJoeJ]

Hey there, first time posting here and I have a question...has anyone ever transitioned from an RN position at a hospital working with UAPs to one where they just got rid of the UAPs, leaving the RN to do everything.

I work in a pediatric CTICU and starting January 1, they are taking away our UAPs. It's not something I am comfortable with...how do you guys feel?

Please weigh in and thanks.

[mrsboots87]

Where I work, we have them. But, sometimes if we are short staffed on them we get "primary" care on 1-2 of our patients. If we don't have any for the shift (which isn't common but happens) then we are assigned primary care on all our patients. However, staffing ratio is adjusted accordingly in both situations.

I don't mind being primary at all. I have more work to do, but less charting since there are less patients. Our UAPs don't chart at all. So all their blood sugars, vitals, baths, whatever are charted by the nursing staff. I would rather be at bedside performing any cares, then charting on more patients. Especially when the amount of charting per patient isn't any more. My patients are usually happier too becaue I have more time to spend with them.