Would you work in this environment?

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

So the place I shadowed is an acute unit for dialysis. There are 2 "stations", although they're just portable machines plugged into a couple sinks. This it at a small hospital with highly fluctuating census. There is no transport, so you bring your patients in yourself on the bed. There is barely enough room to fit the beds. There is no crash Cart. There is no glucometer or thermometer. There is no emergency button to press in times of trouble. The closest unit Is always closed and the only other thing nearby is an elevator. The unit down the hall is so busy and only has 2 nurses for 10 patients. There is no one that would even hear me yelling if I had a bleeding incident or if another patient was crashing while I was holding a site. They only send 1 nurse there. I could prob put up with this if there was an aid or tech or another nurse, but not alone.

I spoke up to management and said I would only do bedside treatments because this acute unit is simply not safe. They are asking for an incident. She seemed legit Interested in my concerns, but nothing will be done in my time here. I'm a travel nurse with just 6 weeks left here. What would you do? Im gonna stick to my guns and say that I'll just do besides treatments. It's the only way to be safe. Apparently the hospital manager is not gonna like this but if that's the case, I won't work in unsafe conditions and would sooner go home. There's no reason why I can't do bedside treatments other then then saving money by having 1 nurse do 2 patients at once. Safety seems of no concern.

What would you do?

[TEXASWAG, MSN, RN]

You made the right decision by speaking up about the conditions not being safe. If something bad were to happen, your ass would be grass especially with the board of nurses. You should always think about keeping your license intact. And yes I would have spoken up also.

[Chisca, RN]

Run a garden hose and an extention cord to the parking lot. It sounds safer to dialyze there than in the broom closet they want you to work in.

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

Run a garden hose and an extention cord to the parking lot. It sounds safer to dialyze there than in the broom closet they want you to work in.

Hahahah!! I love it!!!

[Erikadawn RN]

I don't have a glucometer in my acute room, I have to call the pt nurse, we do have a themometer, I am sometimes alone too. I don't think hospitals care until something happens. At least can they give y a cordless phone?

[Chisca, RN]

" There is no emergency button to press in times of trouble"

Violation of CMS rule V.402.: No method for summoning immediate assistance (V402)

"There is barely enough room to fit the beds"

Violation of CMS rule V.404 :Insufficient space to prevent cross-contamination & use emergency equip (V404)

" There is no crash Cart"

Violation of CMS rule V.415, V.413: No functional AED/defibrillator, oxygen, suction, emergency medications (V413); insufficient or unavailable emergency evacuation supplies (V415)

I'm sure someone in management would love for you to point out these deficiencies. Or if you would like a shot at the money this facility has been receiving for dialysis treatments the government offers a reward to whistleblowers.