Understaffed hospitals and unemployed nurses

3 I must admit that am puzzled that so many able and willing nurses are out there actively looking for jobs and are routinely turned away yet many hospitals care having trouble meeting their minimum staffing levels. This coming election nurse patient ratios will be a major factor in whom i chose to vote for, just wondering how many of you feel the same? I have to give california nurses credit for ensuring that staffing levels were passed as state law. My hope is that many if not all states will do the same now that we have the super union. I hate to see the seasoned nurses burnt out and our young left hopeless after all the hard work.
Before you get excited about politicians promising reform....Ohio passed a nurse staffing law in 2008:http://www.safestaffingsaveslives.or...gislation.aspxThe problem is that it has NO TEETH. There are no "real" requirements regarding staffing aside from "have a plan".It's pretty much a joke. It's a nice way for politicians and nurse-politicians to say they did something without actually doing anything. Units still work dangerously short... especially on nights and weekends. Staff nurses have no "real" recourse especially with the economy the way it is and no protection in the way of labor laws here in Ohio. If someone makes a stink... they might as well clean out their locker.

Hospitals being understaffed and people needing jobs. Seems like an easy fix. However the bottom line is the almighty dollar.Best laid plans often run into gliches. Schedules may have been set out and on paper it looks like enough staff are scheduled .Someone calls in, no one is available to come in or perhaps it would mean overtime and the budget it being closely watched. Or enough people were scheduled and then admits start coming in. We are told they can only staff for the patients on the unit not potential admits that may or may not arrive. Sadly the budget will win out. Without remaining within budget no one will have to worry about staffing as the hospitals would be in financial ruin. Hate realty somedays.

It's my opinion that hospitals underhire so they can routinely throw their hands up and say "sorry! no one will come in!" as an excuse for understaffing.I read a comment thread once started by a former hosp. administrator bemoaning the fact that "most of the budget went to overpaid nurses." Yep, and that's where most of the budget should go. Hospitals exist for nursing care. We should be the most supported unit in the facility; instead, we are the least. Awhile ago I watched five people in the administrative level gather around our unit board. For over fifteen minutes they discussed if it should be replaced and if so, what with? Various opinions were offered, considered and rejected. Consensus must have been to keep the board as is because six months later it's still there. I'd have more respect for admin. and their budgets if they ever watch their own. If nursing is not sweating blood we are not being productive enough, but they still get their breakfast/lunch meetings.

Quote from fungezAwhile ago I watched five people in the administrative level gather around our unit board. For over fifteen minutes they discussed if it should be replaced and if so, what with? Various opinions were offered, considered and rejected. Consensus must have been to keep the board as is because six months later it's still there.

our hospital, like many in US, look to Medicare & Medicaid as biggest payor. We get about 25 cents for every dollar we bill them. I guess hospitals are not hiring for the same reason I cannot hire a maid. No $HOWEVER, if the healthcare plan goes thru we will have MANY more patients. Will that result in more dollars and more jobs? Who knows? Could mean simply more work.

Quote from vivicaqI must admit that am puzzled that so many able and willing nurses are out there actively looking for jobs and are routinely turned away yet many hospitals care having trouble meeting their minimum staffing levels. This coming election nurse patient ratios will be a major factor in whom i chose to vote for, just wondering how many of you feel the same? I have to give california nurses credit for ensuring that staffing levels were passed as state law. My hope is that many if not all states will do the same now that we have the super union. I hate to see the seasoned nurses burnt out and our young left hopeless after all the hard work.

​i doubt nurse to patient ratios will even come up. there are other more important matters to discuss, like whether romney is really a christian and whether obama has a secret plan to turn the us into a socialist nation.

I would LOVE to have more help. However, we earn approximately 25 cents on the dollar. We do not have the money to pay for more nurses. Unless nurses want to earn less, of course. Any volunteers??

Quote from classicdameI would LOVE to have more help. However, we earn approximately 25 cents on the dollar. We do not have the money to pay for more nurses. Unless nurses want to earn less, of course. Any volunteers??

Quote from vivicaqI must admit that am puzzled that so many able and willing nurses are out there actively looking for jobs and are routinely turned away yet many hospitals care having trouble meeting their minimum staffing levels. This coming election nurse patient ratios will be a major factor in whom i chose to vote for, just wondering how many of you feel the same? I have to give california nurses credit for ensuring that staffing levels were passed as state law. My hope is that many if not all states will do the same now that we have the super union. I hate to see the seasoned nurses burnt out and our young left hopeless after all the hard work.

Money, money, money. Budget, budget, budget. That about says it all.

Honestly, I feel that nurses are the core of a hospital. When I receive a bill from a hospital for $1000 after my insurance pays, needless to say I expect quite a bit for that kind of money. Unfortunately, nurses are spread so thin that there is nothing to do but fall short. Long wait times in ERs because there are too many people with too few beds. Even on the floor patients expect the nurse to be there. Fulfill needs. There remains a stigma that the nurse is there to talk and bring endless drinks and snacks. Bring pillows for all 4 family members. Bring pain medicine within 2 minutes of the call bell ringing. Drop everything to take care of the pt or the family. For the price of a hospital admission, I can't blame them. I would be upset if I had to be in pain for 30 minutes. And of course, blameless apologies. Can't say that pharmacy won't load it. The doc won't give you more than Tylenol 3 (referred to as extra extra strength Tylenol).. You bring a blanket for a family member quickly and they comment that you have nothing better to do. You smile but want to scream that you have 8 chart checks. A pt post HC with a plummeting BP. A confused pt who won't stay in bed. A critical potassium. 3 patients demanding pain meds that require 12 minutes atleast to push correctly and safely. An aide needs help pulling someone up. A now dose of this. So really, I don't get it. I heard a hospital charges $200 just to start an IV. If it takes me 4-5 minutes to start it, and start probably 8 per shift, that's my weekly salary earned in less than an hour. I just don't get it. Maybe one day I'll understand. Im thankful for my job, and my current job rocks compared to my previous one. But there is still understaffing. I know this was scattered, but I'm sleep deprived....