H.R. 4138
The kiddo is home sick today with a stomach bug. So I thought I would take some time to blog, seeing as I have not had the chance in the past few weeks.
My friend Beth over at PixelRN called my attention to a bill in congress that could be a really good thing for the Healthcare industry.
H. R. 4138 is sitting in congress and if it passes, it could enable the Nursing Staff in Hospitals across the country to determine staffing for their very own units.
I hate to sound cynical but I see Hospitals finding some loophole to get around it if it passes. (i.e. Like hiring one RN to oversee staffing and pressuring that RN to staff scarcely) However, whether it passes or not, it still calls attention to the biggest problem with hospital nursing and could save lives by preventing mistakes, med errors, and give nurses the opportunity to do more of what they do best....caring.
Staffing was part of the reason I left Hospital Nursing. I simply just couldn't do the whole being responsible for 6 patients when more then 3 of them were total care. It's not safe. Nurses burn out.
Hospitals don't seem to get that if they staff well, they lose fewer nurses, therefore saving them money in the long run that they spend on orientation and training.
I hope this Bill passes. But even if it doesn't, it's mere existence is a step in the right direction.
posted by Jo @ 08:33
9 comments
9 Comments:
Thanks for posting this. I plan on calling my congressman's office tomorrow to voice my support for this bill. I am a school nurse now after 17 years in hospital nursing. I toy with the idea of going back, but I just can't do it, for the same reasons you mention.
Happy New Year! I see you've had about as much time to blog as I've had!
I agree it is a step forward, but I see an even bigger problem in the hospitals today, which is a total lack of uncommitted and uncaring adiministrators.It is a shame what has happened to nursing. The same problems are occuring with the physicians as more and more of them are retiring early.
Nurses should determine staffing levels mainly because who knows better than them what is needed and where, the admin are fine for deciding what should be placed outside patio furniture or b&q garden furniture but when it comes down to patient care and efficient running of a department they can use stats to assess not hands on experience, in the 60's 70's where a sister would control the wards there was never an issue of over or under staffing and it worked, this should show that the first issue should be care and not profit.
I think this might help but like you I believe adminstration would find a way around it. Where I used to work we had work place violence but no one wanted to hear about it. Also it would be nice if the staff you had was willing to work. Where I worked some PCT's sat at the desk and wouldn't even answer the phone if it rang. There are still many wonderful people working the floors but as those people burn out all that's left are people who couldn't care less. I think as more and more mistakes are made, and more patients treated poorly people will finely get it but it will be to late. How can you get all those people to change their way of thinking. When you hire a good person they sucumb and become part of the problem or leave.
Hi, my name is Hong, I work for a company called www.nursesoftoday.com and we are building a website for nurses to search for jobs. We also have a section for our members to read up on a nurse life and I did some research and came upon your site, www.jodaya.blogspot.com I appreciate your daily updates and pretty much personality on your site. You come off as a great person and I believe our members can learn a lot from you.
Would it be ok for us to link to your site from our website? Please let me know when you have a chance.
Thanks.
Hong
hp@nursesoftoday.com
Nursesoftoday.com
Thank author, fellow author.
I really enjoyed this article.
The author, I beseech you write more
DISCOVERY HEALTH CHANNEL
CASTING
Discovery Health, a division of the Discovery Channel is
producing a new program which is currently being cast. We are seeking people in the Tri State area whose lives have been seriously affected by a facial injury or disfigurement, which they are Unable to have repaired. Selected individuals will work with a prominent NYC based reconstructive surgeon to aid address the injury and perform corrective surgery in order to restart their lives. For further info please send your name, phone number, email contact and a photo of yourself along with a paragraph about your story, details of the injury and how it has impeded your life.
Send all the information to
Mwollcasting@gmail.com.
This is a time sensitive casting please
send all information by May 28, 2010. We will contact you ASAP.
Great work in your blog! yours post are incredible! it seems so difficult to do those creations as you do... Generic Viagra the critical stuff is awesome, this last post looks like professional journalism or something like that.
Buy Viagra Cheap Viagra
Post a Comment
<< Home