Seven of 10 Nurses Report Insufficient Staffing

On top of caring for 45 patients on a skilled nursing floor, I had to respond to all emergency calls from an independent living apartment complex consisting of 149 apratments! And, the assisted living unit, as well. I never knew how many times I would be called off my floor or how long I would be gone!! I worked alone and in my absence the patients on the skilled nursing floor were left with 2 CNA's. By the Grace of God no one ever coded or died in my absence. To help save a bit of time, I made copies of my physical assessments one night to help me spend more time at the bedside and less time in the nurses station filling in the assessments the next night. I was reported to the Nursing Board and was accused of falsifying patient records. Administration never did ask the patients if I was at their bedside nightly doing head to toe assessments. I knew nothing about Safe Harbor. Again, by the Grace of God, I was slapped with a $1,000 fine and remedial education. As a nurse of 32 years, I will take remedial courses every 5 years so that I can keep up with all the changes in the Nurse Practice Act. It was bad judgement on my part but I feel as if the administration put these patients at risk by having me leave them alone quite often. I was fired from that position which was a blessing. I went from 130 lbs to 105 lbs in the 2 years I worked that job. I learned very valuable lessons and will invoke Safe harbor if I am ever forced to do more than one person can handle. Actually, I am looking for jobs outside of nursing. It's difficult as no one wants to hire me for "menial" labor thinking I will leave to return to nursing. It's damned if you do and damned if you don't. My patient's health and safety is always my number one concern. Thank God, I know about invoking Safe Harbor!!!!!!!!

It is a shame that the same problem keeps coming up and that is staffing. The place where I do clinicals is short staffed most of the time and I will not work there because of the treatment of the nurses. Shame that it is still not realized just how important the nursing job is.