Your Suggestions Solicited, Please!!!

walk6miles · Jun 3, 2007

I have posted on the network previously about a co-worker who ABANDONED her patients on one occasion; took 5 hours on the clock lunchtime (shopped at the mall), and I photographed her sleeping from midnight until 6 a.m. (she had no patients, I had three). I reported this to the big boss (who did nothing)....

Now the new job (started up in August - I joined them in late November) has overrun the budget so the solution is to go from 8 beds (Chest Pain patients) with two nurses to 4 beds - one nurse. The second nurse is supposed to float and remain PRN wherever they choose to float (in case she is needed back on the unit. Last weekend, the RN who floated (a friend??) took an assignment so she was unable to help me. I wound up with SIX patients - two in - two out- two back to back - NO secretary, NO help - me alone with four patients (finally, after the transfers, discharge, and one AMA because "you are not available to help me"). Then the floor cleaner insisted on taping off the unit in half so he could strip and rewax the floors.

ER wanted to send a patient with a guard (I said NO) --- he wound up coming without a guard (charges of DUI dropped so the police didn't have to stay) - they wanted to send another patient and I refused until 07:00.

I was alone 3 out of 4 nights worked (I had to work the holiday). Horrible, horrible mess... phone ringing off the hook - one of the patients was the grandfather of a PA in the ER and he must have called me 25 times - finally got his granddad out of Chest Pain Center and admitted to 4th floor. His transfer led to the empty bed that brought me two back to back admits from our satellite facility.

I made my mind up that I am NOT going to loose my license because of their inept management - they don't have a clue!

I start as a central staffer on the 17th and I wonder if anyone has had some experience (I did travel nursing) with this type of work - specifically, when they send me somewhere I really don't want to go... how do I handle it - some little thing to get me through it.

Thanks in advance. :spin: :uhoh3: :spin:

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