new lpn in ltc. we have 4 units that hold between 20-31 patients and usually have 4 nurse for both day and night shift. i noticed over the last few months if we are short on nights management or on call refuses to come in but on days they never work with 3 or less nurses. one night each nurse had 1 unit upstairs and 1 unit downstairs, this is about 45 patients each, only 2 nurses total in the building. some patients are just ltc, some are more rehab. some nights we are short techs/aides as well.
fresh on the job and last month one of the other new nurses told me she was scared of taking 2 units again and so did a few other even experienced nurses. well the following week she refused, told our DON she didnt feel safe and was fired. the union tried to get her job back but couldnt.they came up with some issue she had to justify it. evidently this has been going on for months.i refused one time and was told by my DON she was shocked i refused. i explained to her i didnt feel it was safe and also we were in our state window and I didnt want to be the nurse with 2 units on 2 separate floors if the state walked in. she told me she only staffs 4 nurses at night as a courtesy, its not typical. according to the nurses that have been there for years its always been 4 on days and 4 on nights except for when the building has to work short, so 4 is the standard.
i believe we received a citation from the state regarding short staffing recently too. we arent able to address emergencies as quickly, the patients medications and treatments arent getting done on time, when we dont have enough staff its puts our fall risk residents at greater risk also. we also have residents that are risks for eloping the facility.
when you have 2 floors you are taking one on first floor and one on second, huge fire risk or evac risk especially considering the time it would take to evacuate second flr dementia residents with no elevator. it literally gives me anxiety even on my off days.
Id prefer to just have adequate staffing but after the other nurse was fired im kind of scared to speak up again. theres a lot of problems going on in the building as a whole but overall we have a good crew, some bad apples, but i think if our managers did more it could be a great place to work. the last month or so its like every time i go to work almost someone is taking 2 units. in the last 14 days someone has taken 2 units 9 out of 14 days. we are taught protect your license and your patients. im seeing nurses get in trouble everyday online. if i go into work and get fired for refusing to take 2 assignments could i have a case possibly? we are also suddenly being made to makeup days for calling in. i guess its been a rule always but it just suddenly started being enforced after a nurse was calling in often for fmla and the scheduler said she was sick of her.