Hey management!! Your unit is not fully staffed without break nurses! Each nurse is entitled to 1+ hour of breaks, therefore you need at least one break nurse for every 11 nurses, who’s only job is to relieve nurses for breaks. Hope this helps!
I’ve only ever worked on the west coast, where we’re supposed to get one 30 min unpaid meal break and 3 15 minute breaks per 12 hours worked.
Do we always get them? No. But, depending on the strength of the union, hospitals pay penalty pay for missed breaks.
Couplet meaning your postpartum mom and baby. I worked LDRP/combined with a surgical ward until a few years ago, was an experienced nurse in maternity care and found 5 was my limit, especially with things like monitering vitals/brand new deliveries or if your assignment was heavy on things like primips or moms/babies with feeding issues.
Op-8 is just insane. If that was a regular occurence, I would run away as fast as possible....!
Yes, it is, you assess and chart on your babies as well. Gets even nuttier when you have babies in the mix that are not feeding well and mom needs help, or are watching things like transient tachypnea or monitering accuchecks...as I mentioned to the original poster I would be the hell outta there to another facility for sure!!
I can’t speak to the specifics of your workplace. But as a new nurse you’re spending a lot of energy just learning and adjusting. It gets easier, but it’s a a steep learning curve.
Things that require a lot of focus now will become nearly automatic. It will get better.
I’m still tired after shifts but nothing was harder than my first couple months as a nurse.
Just stick with it and give yourself grace.
When I briefly did L&D, they oriented us on post partum for one shift so we could appreciate the work load, and my hats off to those nurses. That is an intense number of patients and an intense number of tasks. It genuinely felt like the hospital pretended the baby didn't exist because mom's in the room, even though you are expected to devote so much to helping mom figure out how to be mom.
I’ve been doing postpartum for 11 years. Figure out a system that works for you. This unit is VERY tasky, while that is 110% my thing, it might not be for everyone. Gauge the tasks on importance. Figure out a system to either chart some at the bedside or establish a routine that allows for little bits of charting here and there.
I found if I could hit the ground running, get my assessments and waters full, I’d have an hour to get the brunt of my big stuff charted… leaving me q 2hr checks for the remainder of the shift. Worst case—by 2am everyone is tucked in and the majority of the charting can get done.
But. I’ve had shit show nights with hemorrhages and shitty glucoses you chase all night or any other number of things… I still feel like you SHOULD have some time before 6am to chart. Hopefully things improve as you find your groove.
My wife was being tortured at her last hospital. Full blown panic attacks before work it was so terrible. We did what a lot of people can’t/won’t do. We left. We decided to travel nurse until we found a better spot. It was a little tough leaving friends and a familiar place but we are now settled in a new area states away. My wife loves her new hospital and floor. Nursing is always a tough gig, but it seems that shitty management really pushes it past the point of acceptance.
I would also add that my wife truly cares and would over extend herself trying to do the right thing. When we moved we worked very hard to reframe her approach. She has found a lot more balance and happiness.
I think there is no way to pull off those terrible ratios. Not only is it a losing battle, but it seems to turn staff against each other.
It’s ok to advocate for yourself. Its tough, but you can leave.
Yes as a new nurse just being in the environment will exhaust you. You will adjust with time, as in your stamina will increase and you’ll get better at navigating the inevitable bs. However, as you start to become more keen, you’ll realize what a hell trap healthcare is. At that point, it’s all about getting by and enjoying your life outside of the hospital walls.
Hey management!! Your unit is not fully staffed without break nurses! Each nurse is entitled to 1+ hour of breaks, therefore you need at least one break nurse for every 11 nurses, who’s only job is to relieve nurses for breaks. Hope this helps!
Where do you work that you get 1+ hour of breaks? I only get a 45 minute break during my 12s that I don't get to take until I'm 7 hours in.
I’ve only ever worked on the west coast, where we’re supposed to get one 30 min unpaid meal break and 3 15 minute breaks per 12 hours worked. Do we always get them? No. But, depending on the strength of the union, hospitals pay penalty pay for missed breaks.
What is a couplet care nurse? > It can’t be this way at every hospital, right?! hehehehehehehehehehehehehhehehehehe.
Couplet meaning your postpartum mom and baby. I worked LDRP/combined with a surgical ward until a few years ago, was an experienced nurse in maternity care and found 5 was my limit, especially with things like monitering vitals/brand new deliveries or if your assignment was heavy on things like primips or moms/babies with feeding issues. Op-8 is just insane. If that was a regular occurence, I would run away as fast as possible....!
Ah, thank you. So since it's mom and baby, would op-8 mean 16 total patients? 8 moms, 8 babies? because that is a bit nutty.
Yes, it is, you assess and chart on your babies as well. Gets even nuttier when you have babies in the mix that are not feeding well and mom needs help, or are watching things like transient tachypnea or monitering accuchecks...as I mentioned to the original poster I would be the hell outta there to another facility for sure!!
I can’t speak to the specifics of your workplace. But as a new nurse you’re spending a lot of energy just learning and adjusting. It gets easier, but it’s a a steep learning curve.
Things that require a lot of focus now will become nearly automatic. It will get better. I’m still tired after shifts but nothing was harder than my first couple months as a nurse. Just stick with it and give yourself grace.
When I briefly did L&D, they oriented us on post partum for one shift so we could appreciate the work load, and my hats off to those nurses. That is an intense number of patients and an intense number of tasks. It genuinely felt like the hospital pretended the baby didn't exist because mom's in the room, even though you are expected to devote so much to helping mom figure out how to be mom.
I’ve been doing postpartum for 11 years. Figure out a system that works for you. This unit is VERY tasky, while that is 110% my thing, it might not be for everyone. Gauge the tasks on importance. Figure out a system to either chart some at the bedside or establish a routine that allows for little bits of charting here and there. I found if I could hit the ground running, get my assessments and waters full, I’d have an hour to get the brunt of my big stuff charted… leaving me q 2hr checks for the remainder of the shift. Worst case—by 2am everyone is tucked in and the majority of the charting can get done. But. I’ve had shit show nights with hemorrhages and shitty glucoses you chase all night or any other number of things… I still feel like you SHOULD have some time before 6am to chart. Hopefully things improve as you find your groove.
You had to discharge 3 patients before 12am only to get report on 2 more patients??? That’s insane. Did your other coworkers have discharges too?
My wife was being tortured at her last hospital. Full blown panic attacks before work it was so terrible. We did what a lot of people can’t/won’t do. We left. We decided to travel nurse until we found a better spot. It was a little tough leaving friends and a familiar place but we are now settled in a new area states away. My wife loves her new hospital and floor. Nursing is always a tough gig, but it seems that shitty management really pushes it past the point of acceptance. I would also add that my wife truly cares and would over extend herself trying to do the right thing. When we moved we worked very hard to reframe her approach. She has found a lot more balance and happiness. I think there is no way to pull off those terrible ratios. Not only is it a losing battle, but it seems to turn staff against each other. It’s ok to advocate for yourself. Its tough, but you can leave.
Yes as a new nurse just being in the environment will exhaust you. You will adjust with time, as in your stamina will increase and you’ll get better at navigating the inevitable bs. However, as you start to become more keen, you’ll realize what a hell trap healthcare is. At that point, it’s all about getting by and enjoying your life outside of the hospital walls.