[Judyd]

I have recently found myself going home feeling increasingly frustrated, I am working as hard as I can, working up to 15 hours, with up to 8 pts and discharges of several and four hour added pts from nurses going home and getting to new admits, when I have not been able to do more than see the pts. It seems the hospital feels they have to take more pts in, even if that means were are unable to come near to adequately caring for the 8 to 10 we have already. Management is telling me they don't feel it is right to turn pts who need care away. I have been checking into Union which I think we don't have any in our state, and the State Board of Nursing Association. I really would like to find some answers even if it is for small improvments. I have talked with many other nurses and they all feel the same way I do at this time. We are training techs now, and hope they will be future nurses. I believe their are lots more nurses who have already stopped nursing altogether because it is getting so unsafe. I would like information or advice or encouragement.
I was told Florida had a Union for Nurses and now the pts just don't get to come to the hospital. Is this true. Help. Judyd [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [colorurple] [/color]

I understand how frustrated you are. Unfortunately, I don't think there is an answer. What can you do? It's a pretty tough situation, and you are right, that is why many are going into other areas of work. I think it will get better, but it will get much worse before it does. Sometimes I think it is going to take something drastic to happen before people realize the problems. Until then just keep on keeping on I guess ?...

[All41]

It does seem like a losing battle and in some respects it is, but...I know I just can't stop trying! One thing that can't hurt is information. I know you don't have time for yourself except driving to and from work but this could help. I don't know where you are (state). Be familiar with your hospital's policies. Set up an appointment with your hospital's risk management nurse and ask for advice. We have a Division of Facilities Services in NC and they will come in unannounced to see if proper care is being given including a safe environment. Check with your state board of nursing and ask for a clinical support nurse and possibly a legal nurse consultant. Sick patients deserve care but not at the risk of injury due to unmanageable acuity. Your license is ultimately on the line. Document each step you take in attempting to correct the problem. Dates, times, topic and with whom you speak. This will help you organize your thoughts, see just what you are living in and help you problem-solve as well as support that you have tried to improve your situation. Hope this helps. Keep us posted on your situation.

[Judyd]

I am so glad you replied. I am talking lots. I am joining the Kansas State Board Of Nursing and the ANA, I think it looks like the United American Nurses may be a part of that. I do plan on documenting in the future all the people I have talked to about the problem. It does seem to be a national problem, bigger than just our facility. Just knowing I am going to not be alone in this very dangerous territory is helpfull. Hope to stay at least one step away from the quick sand. The nation truly needs enlightened.
Very good Nurses in good positions of leadership and still going to school in the nursing classes for masters are feeling my same frustrations. I would not know in what a good group I am in if I had not started gathering information."Keep the cards and letters coming folks" Thats what Dean Martin used to say. Maybe we can help us keep on keepin on. Thanks Judyd

[minniemouse]

Hi!
I live in Florida and I am not aware of any nursing unions here. Too many patients is why I would not work in a hospital. HMOs are in the business of making money for the big guys at the top. They don't seem to care for their patients or their nurses. There have been many articles about patients dying because they can not get proper care because of patient to nurse ratios. How does JHACO rate your hospital? In homecare, I can spend as much time as necessary with my patients. The nursing shortage is getting worse. I wonder why

[Judyd]

Minniemouse love that name. The shortage is not the problem as they send nurses home to keep us short. The system facility, economy, public values, politics, it all needs fixed. I wanted to work home health and did some with agency, years ago; but they had their problems too. In Kansas their were loads of new home health agencies about 10 years ago, and they had to do so much documentation to cover the work they did, they were no able to make ends meet and many went out of business with in two years.
I am still trying to work from with in the system to make some improvements. The pressure to get out of work on time is improving some lately. Would love to get out on time, but would love to feel i did a good job by my patients too. Am interested in visiting more with you. Thanks Judyd

[All41]

Hi Minni and welcome to UltimateNurse.com., clearly the best site on the net! I worked in Home Health in tandem with my OR career. I needed something to let me know that I could make a difference and that was home health. The public is so wonderful and thankful to have a nurse come into their homes. But, alas, I had to retire from Home Health when in one week I was working with the police dept., adult protective services and child protective services. I came home with PAC's and chest pain. But...I wouldn't trade it for anything!
On the nursing shortage, I think that the economy is dictating the demand of nursing service and that may explain why there seems to be no shortage. The accuracy and truth in my opinion is that we do have a shortage of nurses but there are cut backs in some areas which mimic the opposite. I have been interviewing for a job in the past two weeks and there are plenty of them out there. Back to something I said earlier though, you must cross-train yourself to be marketable. It has helped me loads.

[RNannie]

Frustration and fear, two of the largest problems facing nurses today. I left the acute care setting last week when I was assigned 10 patients, six of whom were fresh post op pts, three of whom were confused and combative,(without sitters) and one in leather restraints. That kind of load is not safe for one nurse to handle, and it was the straw that broke this camel's back. I have been in acute care for 20 years, and have tried and tried and tried to effect changes within the system, and frankly, it ain't gonna happen. Patients will die, lawyers will settle and the whole spiraling system will continue on until there are no nurses willing to put with the crap that is shoveled on a daily basis in acute care. I am going into occupational health and education, and hope to do my best to keep my clients out of the blasted hospitals.

[Terry]

I understand your frustration, I work in an Emergency room and also for a staffing co. Last week I was sent by the staffing co. to a hospital to work a med surg floor. When I got to the hospital, which was the first time I had worked in that facility, I was given 11 patients. You talk about frustration, I was so stressed when I left there I called the agency and told them I would not go back because of the high acuity, inadequate staff and overwhelming responsibility placed on my shoulders. I have 21 years nursing exp., and made it through, but it is not something I want to do again. Not only was I stressed by the job, but by also knowing that the patients did not receive enough care for my shift. I was lucky just to get the medications passed on time.

[mssnurse]

Hi, Judyd. I don`t know about the hospitals - I am in LTC - I know that here in Kentucky, the nurses are being worked to death! There are no minimum staffing standards here, and as a result the care is mostly the very minimum - we simply have too many residents to care for!

The nurses need to get together and work on getting the MSS passed. We can do it! As the 2nd largest workforce in this country, we can certainly do it - if we try!