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Mon 10 Apr, 2006 07:00 pm
How to push for mandatory pt load limits
I work in a busy ICU where 3 vents, at least 1 on insulin or dopamine gtts are common, and not considered unsafe. There is rarely a tech, and we often have no secretary. The hospital is trying to "save money" by not wasting $$ on such silly things as restraints, temperature disposable probe covers, suction tubing, etc. It is like nursing in a 3rd world country and I am planning to leave. How do we nurses band together and get with it like Cal. and demand that hospitals limit pt loads? Someone is going to die at this hellhole from nurses overloaded with more pts than they can handle!@ Does anyone else commonly carry a 3 pt load in ICU? I am thinking of getting out of nursing entirely, after 5 years on the job, it is getting too dangerous.
3 pts in an ICU is CRAZY!!! I don't know if i'd be leaving nursing altogether, but I'd certainly be looking at other places to work. It might be worth your while to form a coalition of nurses at work, and align with a professional body. Your association should be aware too. As for not using tempurature probes...how is that done?? The hospital will get burned badly by law suits, infection and hopefully come to their senses... I've worked both emerg and ICU, and having one vented patient is usually the limit. I have had two, but the other one would be "stable"...if that realy exists in the ICU!!!
Keep your posts, I'd be interested to hear how things are going...
too many patients!
I feel for you and am very interested in the comments, I work in a smaller hospital on pediatrics. we only have one nurse scheduled per night. there have been nights that i have eight- nine patients alone. no tech, no clerk... patient care is minimal and i go away frustrated, unhappy with nursing, and have the feeling that i didn't do my best. i think we need to stand together as nurses and say no more. i just don't know how to get it started. any ideas are welcomed.
How to push for Mandatory Pt Load Limits
There's probably 2 things you can do. 1) See about organizing a Union; 2) Contact the American Nurse's Association to see if they can direct you on what to do.
Hope it helps!
overworked
Yeah, Florida has the same problem, sometiems you get 3 patients. I have heard some complain that they had 4 in the ICU because there was no help. That is the line the hospitals give you. They do not want to spend the money to get extra nurses, in San Diego they pay double time for staff when they need it. They get nurses when they are giveing $72 per hour. I got sick of Florida and went to California. I make the same for 36 hrs in California that I made for 60 in Florida (without the double time). I think California has set the example for the rest of the country : unions, striking and persistence are the keys.
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