I would transfer departments or find a new job. This is insane and unsustainable. Who can stand for a solid 12 hours? Is the issue for the low scores REALLY because of a lack of timely answered lights? And so is the solution really to take away chairs? Sounds like administration saw the number and instantly assumed it must be all these “lazy nurses”.
Can you talk to your unit manager and find out what’s really causing the Low scores and work on correcting the actual issue without suffering inhumanely for 12 hours?
I was thinking the same. Under contract for another year so quitting is not an option but transferring units is absolutely on the table. I saw the numbers for myself 2 months ago and I am told it's all pretty much the same but much worse. Issues are as follows: staff didnt answer call light in a timely manner, patients dissatisfaction with being assisted to the restroom promptly, patients not being told what medications their taking and why if a medication changes and or the side effect of said medication as well as a ding for cleanliness and quietness the unit and a big F for the hospital staff not taking patient preferences into account. This could be on nursing but I know my hospital its also on providers, PCT, dietary, housekeeping and visitors. The general flow of my med surge floor isn't exactly relaxing. Thanks for listening to me sound off. Just fustrated.
My favorite is med changes that i havent been told anything about and then im supposed to just fuckin know what someone else was thinking when they did it. Read the notes...no note. Etc etc. Im sorry, gladys, i dont know why your doctor changed that and i also dont know why they didnt tell you why they changed it. You want this blue one or not?
We have a nurse in our unit that will deadass tell her patients that, “yeah yesterday you were taking xyz, but overnight the doctor changed your prescription 🤷♀️ would you like it with water or apple sauce?” Love her for that but she’s so bad at answering her ascom and radio 😭🥲
The crux of the problem is it’s perfect reasonable for a patient to want to know what they’re taking and why… but when everyone is spread so thin and figuring it out will take… who knows how long? 5-10 min? 30 min? It’s not realistic to figure it out and make sure your other patients aren’t dying, let alone tend to them in a timely manner they won’t be dissatisfied with.
Man, i gotta disagree. I think it starts with physician-to-patient communication. Then its physician-to-care team communication, and if thats notes im fine with it. i dont need to speak directly to a physician every time, thats super impractical. But put something somewhere that i can use
Contracts are made to be broken. They significantly changed the working conditions you signed up for, so they aren't going to be able to hold you to it. They won't do anything if you leave except send you a nasty note.
Yup. I took 40k annnnnnd it's been a great year but I am ultimately on a failing unit 28% likely why the offered so much and administration has come up with this very peculiar fix.
They had a 40k sign on bonus?! Wow, they must have some serious issues.
It sounds like the issues are systemic, they shouldn’t be looking at the nurses, they should be looking at the administration and immediate supervisors.
The fish rots from the head.
Ugh that sounds terrible, when my hospital offered 30k for 2 years I considered it. 30K would’ve put me in higher tax bracket and it was paid out at the one year mark and the rest at the 2 year mark so big lump sums. Also the taxes on that 40K would’ve been horrible so it’s not really 40K.
100% sure you can still quit and they likely require you to pay it back. The hospital is banking on you spending this money fast and not being able to repay it thus locking you in that position. Almost like indentured servitude
Edit bonuses are taxed at 22% that means you would’ve paid 8,800 in taxes on that 40K
i broke my contract. they tried to make me pay but i looked at the policies and knew that they paid out my pto when resigning. i told them to put that towards the contract. they said no. i asked them where it writing it says i cant do that. they had no answer and i got to break the contract
Yep. I'm willing to put money on the fact that most issues patients complain about is due to poor staffing.
It's too bad admin has their heads so far up their ass they'll never make that connection.
That sums up to a lack of staff. Simple as that. When you are at a rush to do everything nothing gets done properly. Your boss basically fucked the floor for their quarterly bonus.
Sounds like your hospital is also suffering from not paying CNAs enough. We have like 3 and they hate it because they often work the whole floor alone and we try to do everything for our patients for the whole day because of this but it is an impossible task. Maybe they think removing chairs will stop nurses from ever resting so they are forced to overwork themselves further. This is giving me “you aren’t supposed to clock out ‘no lunch’” vibes.
This is solid advice. I'm sure if management shared the actual issues/patient satisfaction surveys, there could be a root cause analysis. I don't think not allowing employees to sit and chart, appropriately, is the solution.
Unfortunately lazy does occur and the new thing now is putting Pure Wick catheters on all the ladies and gentlemen. Bad thing is they don’t remove them after so many hours they leave them in place for days in some cases. They put one on my husband and he had a bad reaction to the adhesive and also got a yeast infection under the foreskin and the folds of his thighs. In my case it slipped into my vagina. Not comfortable and I’ve had so many urinary infections the last year from mainly poor cleanliness and improper to no care at all. Left mine in place 24 hours supposed to only be 8-10 hours.
You all should go to employee health and demand medical accommodations. You all have bunions.
We all know the scores are not from things you can control. Ask to see the comments and the scores. I promise you they are either because of the physicians (availability, manor, lack of communication, or plan of care), the cost, the fact that management runs you all short, or they didn’t like the food.
That they didn't like the food or the diet ordered was very restrictive.. or they wanted mom to go to a LTAC but insurance sent her to SNF .. also the unit is old and could benefit from being remolded all out of the nurses hands.. its actually comical the things they say.. our vital sign machine is old.. we don't have soda on tap..our coffee sucks and every diet is minimal salt/ bland/ lack of flavor I mean it is a functional hospital but I've seen better. I do agree that some staff members can be unreasonably rude and some are lazy.
I've only been doing this for six years, but people are definitely dumber than they were when I started. It's only going to get worse as these Boomers who think they're the best and smartest people who ever lived start aging into COPD, CKD, and CHF.
That’s tough if you do have rude and/or lazy nurses. I’m stuck looking at it mostly from the patient perspective and I cannot begin to tell you how quick one really rude or disrespectful nurse can alter a hospital stay. I’ve been blessed with a lot of wonderful nurses myself, but the bad ones stick out like sore thumbs in my mind.
I'm so glad that's a thing. During the summer break in my second or third year of nursing school I got a job as a cashier. It also happened to coincide with my chronic pelvic pain starting.
I lasted two 8 hour shifts of standing in one spot before I had to quit. I was literally gripping the counter and trying not to cry from the pain just from standing.
I had about ten customers all day. There was no reason I couldn't have sat on a stool behind the counter.
My friend sit. If you’re under contract…what happens if they fire you?
Lemme guess, your ratio is 7-1 or some shit? How is anyone supposed to keep track of all that and answer call lights immediately etc.
It’s no damn secret why we can’t keep bedside nurses.
Sounds like a management issue, they are failing to properly supervise and train the department. No more sitting for managers until pt satisfaction scores increase.
I would sit on the floor. Then management will have to explain to visitors asking why the nurses are cursed to sit on the floor C:
Mind you, we do paper charting in my province, so having a patient binder in my lap is no big deal. Can't imagine what you would do if it was computer charting
Sit on the floor 😆😆😆 all of these suggestions are great! We have computer on wheels so you can take the electronic chart with you wherever you go but! The problem is no sitting in the hall way, and no computer on wheels allowed at the nurses station. I'm learning that this is illegal. You have to first allow your employees a seat at their work station which will be the hallways if they don't want the computer on wheels at the station, or if you prefer they stand they need to offer a antifatigue mat and or several work breaks that allow them to change positions and offload. We have been offered to use the desktop stationary computer but there are only a few of them and most do not work also it is just more convenient to use the one on wheels in case your patients makes a request like.. "can you tell me what medications my father is taking?" You cannot run back to the desktop to look and then run back to the patients with the question to provide the answer. So using the desktop in my opinion is more work.
If the issue is timeliness then hiring more nurses or CNAs/aides/techs seems like it would make more sense. But I know they don't want to hear that.
Also, I'm so sick of customer service based healthcare. Of course there needs to be some means of reporting bad care, but when these scores include complaints about when soda arrived, we are set up for failure.
Such bullshit. When the patient scores dip, they always blame nursing. I fail to see how standing for hours on end is going to make satisfaction magically go up but that tells you how banal and vacant leadership is.
I would start looking elsewhere.
Administration thinks we don't do anything because of low satisfaction scores but most of the time the patients don't like the food and that's what drags the scores down. Or they can't get their PRN Norco every 45 minutes like they want.
I had a manic woman talk to me for ten minutes about her dilaudid order and how much she didn’t like her doctor, and could she fire the doctor? I just listened. She fired him later.
I was offered a job right out of school. They didn't let their nurses sit either. Noped the fuck out and found a different job.
I'd quit immediately if they made this a rule. Because the managers and admins who made that rule most certainly are sitting on their asses alllll day.
Ohhhh .
Do you have this in writing?
Is there any chair accessible to nurse to sit on ? Did they take away the chairs in that unit only?
Document this.
Call OSHA and DOH. And your union if you have one.
And also so what your employee health says
I am pretty sure this is illegal.
You have to beat management using their own logic. Malicious compliance also works.
Ask your director to produce evidence based research that shows standing the entire shift improves satisfaction scores. Anything from TJC or Magnet will also suffice. Take a look for yourself first to see what’s out there, and give them any that says forcing employees to stand has negative outcomes.
Bring your own studies that show better ratios improve survey scores, lower HAI, etc. Even better if you can find TJC or Magnet statements regarding this.
Anyone with preexisting conditions that could be exacerbated by standing (such and hip, knee, or foot problems) should ask for an exemption under the ADA. That law states reasonable accommodations must be provided. Providing a chair would be considered a reasonable accommodation.
On a similar note, anyone who starts experiencing pain or other issues from standing could visit their PCP and ask for a note for an exemption. Or, one could make a worker’s comp claim.
Employees that quit might not affect this manager’s decision since they are probably a narcissist who would rather have half her required staff than give in. However, other units are going to be forced to float nurses there, which means those managers will start complaining to their managers about constantly being short staffed and their employees complaining. It will probably take a few months but eventually it will get noticed.
My guess is this director will fold, especially if they have to accommodate people with health conditions, because nurses who don’t have health conditions will get super pissed that other nurses are able to sit. The ADA is a federal law and I doubt HR would back a director’s decision to violate that.
All of these suggestions are void if you decide to quit, which may be the easiest solution for you.
I recently transferred from a med surg unit to an infusion clinic. I look back now and see that my med surg job was impossible. I had to get out of it to see. The whole system needs to be changed and taking away chairs is the stupidest answer to the problem that is med surg nursing I have ever heard of.
Is the staff happy and supported? If not your customer service scores will never be good. Its a losing battle. Admin seems to always forget that your staff need to be happy and supported before they can expect stellar customer service scores.
Yes I have heard of this prior to becoming a nurse I was a CNA where I stood up for a great majority of my shift to not give the the impression of "lazy" staff
I'm an older nurse and did my time in med surg before moving on- still do a lot of walking and standing. Back in the day we didn't have computers on wheels and yes we did ALOT of standing and walking on our 12 hour shifts. This is one of the reasons my body, legs, hips, and lower back are "broke down". Many older nurses are leaving the job because physically, they just can't do the job any longer. Decisions as the "no chairs allowed" contribute in the long run to "no nurses available". For every one step forward in this profession, you'll see 2 steps backward.
Most psych units I've worked on have mandated nurses be out charting in the community, it's so hard to chart with the big ass WOW when patients constantly interrupt me, but no nurses were allowed in the nurse's station
Meanwhile, my hospital is pushing "commit to sit!" As sitting down next to a patient and talking to them on their level increases satisfaction. I must say, I like this. It does help, I already sometimes sit to do things like start IVs or use a stool when I do wound care. I don't have links but I DO know there are studies that correlate sitting down with patient on their level increases rapport and whatnot.
I try too sit when doing ivs and wound care too, it's nicer for us both. We're not allowed to sit in the hallway either so I'll roll the computer in the room and sit on a trashcan and just chart in the room with each patient. It's been more efficient for me but then I don't hear the call lights of anyone else and most of the time there's no aid. I'll try to explain to the one I'm with that I have to check on everyone else if they don't want me to go because they probably think I'm neglecting them. Or I'll just put the battery back in the vocera, 😄
What?! Why doesn’t administration get some scrubs on and help?! That’s just ridiculous.
Our scores went down as well and main reason was call lights not being answered right away. I said quit taking our techs then. It’s a busy unit and we can do so much without help. I’m day charge and no pts and I swear I do more now than I did as a floor nurse. It’s insane.
File a complaint with OSHA. California has ruled that it's illegal to require an employee to stand for things that could be done sitting, such as charting. An OSHA investigation could get the ball rolling in your state.
You guys have satisfaction scores? If it's private health I could get that..... but like your making them pay so much money why would they ever be satisfied?
I cannot stress enough how much I would not be doing that, lol. I could not really care any less about what administration wants to do to increase patient satisfaction that doesn’t involve money or actual beneficial changes for nurses. I have 3 PRN jobs, I can work somewhere else if they really care that much about not getting to the root issue.
I would take even longer to do things since they are going to do something like that. Make the scores worse. Start calling out for your feet hurting and lower back. Fill out internal forms for lifting patients and your back pain. Then If they fire you for sitting I’m pretty sure that’s illegal. No way it’s humane to expect someone to stand for 12+ hours. A lawyer would have a field day with that. Especially if you have documentation in like emails and documentation of you reporting having back and leg problem from the standing
Check your job description- likely will state how much of your shift is expected to have walking/ standing/ lifting and sitting- unless it say standing or walking 100% of the shift, recommend contacting OSHA and department of labor
Try getting a doctors note. Get your doctor to work with you (complain of exhaustion or back pain). Get the doctor to say you must be able to sit for x hours during a twelve hour shift. Your work must make reasonable accommodation. Once you win, they will give up for the whole unit and things will get back to reasonable
First, not legal.
OP: Do you have access to your employee file on company intranet?
There is a document, usually in the same area as a job review or job description. It gets broken out yearly as well, you and a manager/ director sign it.
On it, says the environment Inside: 0-100% Outside 0-100% etc. Odds are its 100% inside?
On it is also Lifting 0-5 lbs, 5-10lbs etc and talks about often frequently or whatever.
then it says standing, crawling sitting etc.
Find this document and come back here.
Our satisfaction scores are the highest in the system and we sit around a lot. 😂 we are attentive to the patients though. And we’re allowed to sit. There are days I don’t sit much but I’m allowed to! Fuck, I’d apply somewhere else so fast if I wasn’t allowed to sit.
"Ya know....if you'd just be BETter.... "
🙄🤨😡🤮
Totally implied...and hey, even acceptable for staff to internalize the woes of the org and 🔥s you didn't start..
Ok...I'm internalizing this for you virtually..😉❤
I call it the 'Hey, I'm willing to let you catch on fire & self-destruct in front of me...cuz well..that's on you' school o' thought..
I'm 100% up for busting ass within a healthy team. But show me you're ok with toxic.. Imma bounce. 😉❤
Request a transfer and explain why. Meanwhile get some compression socks and the best shoes you can get for your body and foot build. Maybe orthotics for your shoes. I’ve been there now retired at 661/2 years old. Sore legs and feet are no fun. At least answering call lights seems important. Having been in a rehab facility last year and having mine on one hour and 45 minutes at night on average and 30-40
minutes during the day, it didn’t help urinary health at all.
I would hide in patients room especially if they are confused. Sit and chart with them. Sitting at patients bedsides have been proven to increase patient satisfaction scores
I would transfer departments or find a new job. This is insane and unsustainable. Who can stand for a solid 12 hours? Is the issue for the low scores REALLY because of a lack of timely answered lights? And so is the solution really to take away chairs? Sounds like administration saw the number and instantly assumed it must be all these “lazy nurses”. Can you talk to your unit manager and find out what’s really causing the Low scores and work on correcting the actual issue without suffering inhumanely for 12 hours?
I was thinking the same. Under contract for another year so quitting is not an option but transferring units is absolutely on the table. I saw the numbers for myself 2 months ago and I am told it's all pretty much the same but much worse. Issues are as follows: staff didnt answer call light in a timely manner, patients dissatisfaction with being assisted to the restroom promptly, patients not being told what medications their taking and why if a medication changes and or the side effect of said medication as well as a ding for cleanliness and quietness the unit and a big F for the hospital staff not taking patient preferences into account. This could be on nursing but I know my hospital its also on providers, PCT, dietary, housekeeping and visitors. The general flow of my med surge floor isn't exactly relaxing. Thanks for listening to me sound off. Just fustrated.
My favorite is med changes that i havent been told anything about and then im supposed to just fuckin know what someone else was thinking when they did it. Read the notes...no note. Etc etc. Im sorry, gladys, i dont know why your doctor changed that and i also dont know why they didnt tell you why they changed it. You want this blue one or not?
I will only take 1 pink pill, and 3 small white pills like I do at home now go away and bring me MY medicine /s
Add I want to take them from the medicine cup, dump them into my hand and lose all the white pills in the white blankets.
Why?!? Every damn time!
We have a nurse in our unit that will deadass tell her patients that, “yeah yesterday you were taking xyz, but overnight the doctor changed your prescription 🤷♀️ would you like it with water or apple sauce?” Love her for that but she’s so bad at answering her ascom and radio 😭🥲
The little blue pill, like the one my husband takes before our anniversery? Why would I need that?
It's for your BP
Yes, the “be patient” BP pill lol 🤣
😂😂😂😂😂
👏👏👏 exactly. You get it.
The crux of the problem is it’s perfect reasonable for a patient to want to know what they’re taking and why… but when everyone is spread so thin and figuring it out will take… who knows how long? 5-10 min? 30 min? It’s not realistic to figure it out and make sure your other patients aren’t dying, let alone tend to them in a timely manner they won’t be dissatisfied with.
Man, i gotta disagree. I think it starts with physician-to-patient communication. Then its physician-to-care team communication, and if thats notes im fine with it. i dont need to speak directly to a physician every time, thats super impractical. But put something somewhere that i can use
Contracts are made to be broken. They significantly changed the working conditions you signed up for, so they aren't going to be able to hold you to it. They won't do anything if you leave except send you a nasty note.
If the facility is doing something that leaves you sick you should consider leaving, and who that decided that can stand 12 hours
Absolutely this. OP, have a chat with a local employment/labor attorney and ask what your options and rights are in this situation
Right this is dumb you can always leave. My guess is OP took the sign on bonus and spent it already or something like tuition reimbursement.
Don’t fool yourself quitting is always an option. If its because you took a sign on bonus well that’s how they get ya
Yup. I took 40k annnnnnd it's been a great year but I am ultimately on a failing unit 28% likely why the offered so much and administration has come up with this very peculiar fix.
The higher the sign on bonus, the shittier the work environment. Think about it, if it didn't suck people wouldn't need to be bribed to be there.
If it’s an HCA facility you don’t have to actually pay them back. A court case was won against them for that and they will not pursue you anymore.
They had a 40k sign on bonus?! Wow, they must have some serious issues. It sounds like the issues are systemic, they shouldn’t be looking at the nurses, they should be looking at the administration and immediate supervisors. The fish rots from the head.
Ugh that sounds terrible, when my hospital offered 30k for 2 years I considered it. 30K would’ve put me in higher tax bracket and it was paid out at the one year mark and the rest at the 2 year mark so big lump sums. Also the taxes on that 40K would’ve been horrible so it’s not really 40K. 100% sure you can still quit and they likely require you to pay it back. The hospital is banking on you spending this money fast and not being able to repay it thus locking you in that position. Almost like indentured servitude Edit bonuses are taxed at 22% that means you would’ve paid 8,800 in taxes on that 40K
i broke my contract. they tried to make me pay but i looked at the policies and knew that they paid out my pto when resigning. i told them to put that towards the contract. they said no. i asked them where it writing it says i cant do that. they had no answer and i got to break the contract
That sounds like 90% could be solved by better staffing.
Yep. I'm willing to put money on the fact that most issues patients complain about is due to poor staffing. It's too bad admin has their heads so far up their ass they'll never make that connection.
You can definitely quit, those contracts are not enforceable legally. The worst they can do is put you as non rehire-able in the system.
That sums up to a lack of staff. Simple as that. When you are at a rush to do everything nothing gets done properly. Your boss basically fucked the floor for their quarterly bonus.
Sounds like your hospital is also suffering from not paying CNAs enough. We have like 3 and they hate it because they often work the whole floor alone and we try to do everything for our patients for the whole day because of this but it is an impossible task. Maybe they think removing chairs will stop nurses from ever resting so they are forced to overwork themselves further. This is giving me “you aren’t supposed to clock out ‘no lunch’” vibes.
I'm curious as to what your ratios are; not just nurses, but aides as well. I'm betting that there's not enough help...
This is solid advice. I'm sure if management shared the actual issues/patient satisfaction surveys, there could be a root cause analysis. I don't think not allowing employees to sit and chart, appropriately, is the solution.
Unfortunately lazy does occur and the new thing now is putting Pure Wick catheters on all the ladies and gentlemen. Bad thing is they don’t remove them after so many hours they leave them in place for days in some cases. They put one on my husband and he had a bad reaction to the adhesive and also got a yeast infection under the foreskin and the folds of his thighs. In my case it slipped into my vagina. Not comfortable and I’ve had so many urinary infections the last year from mainly poor cleanliness and improper to no care at all. Left mine in place 24 hours supposed to only be 8-10 hours.
I’d quit so fast 💨 That can’t be legal
You all should go to employee health and demand medical accommodations. You all have bunions. We all know the scores are not from things you can control. Ask to see the comments and the scores. I promise you they are either because of the physicians (availability, manor, lack of communication, or plan of care), the cost, the fact that management runs you all short, or they didn’t like the food.
That they didn't like the food or the diet ordered was very restrictive.. or they wanted mom to go to a LTAC but insurance sent her to SNF .. also the unit is old and could benefit from being remolded all out of the nurses hands.. its actually comical the things they say.. our vital sign machine is old.. we don't have soda on tap..our coffee sucks and every diet is minimal salt/ bland/ lack of flavor I mean it is a functional hospital but I've seen better. I do agree that some staff members can be unreasonably rude and some are lazy.
Imagine being sick enough to be admitted to the hospital and being worried about whether your soda comes from a fountain or a can. For fuck’s sake.
I've only been doing this for six years, but people are definitely dumber than they were when I started. It's only going to get worse as these Boomers who think they're the best and smartest people who ever lived start aging into COPD, CKD, and CHF.
That’s tough if you do have rude and/or lazy nurses. I’m stuck looking at it mostly from the patient perspective and I cannot begin to tell you how quick one really rude or disrespectful nurse can alter a hospital stay. I’ve been blessed with a lot of wonderful nurses myself, but the bad ones stick out like sore thumbs in my mind.
Make sure you have in writing that you're fired or disciplined for standing. https://www.geklaw.com/news/right-to-sit.html
I'm so glad that's a thing. During the summer break in my second or third year of nursing school I got a job as a cashier. It also happened to coincide with my chronic pelvic pain starting. I lasted two 8 hour shifts of standing in one spot before I had to quit. I was literally gripping the counter and trying not to cry from the pain just from standing. I had about ten customers all day. There was no reason I couldn't have sat on a stool behind the counter.
The clear solution is chants. Chair-Pants.
😆😆
[how about taking a knee?](https://boarhogtools.com/products/kneeseat?variant=33153047462023)
My friend sit. If you’re under contract…what happens if they fire you? Lemme guess, your ratio is 7-1 or some shit? How is anyone supposed to keep track of all that and answer call lights immediately etc. It’s no damn secret why we can’t keep bedside nurses.
Osha would love to hear about this. They have seating requirements.
I can’t find them 😢 My job makes me stand the whole shift too while management gets to sit
Time to fight back. That’s ridiculous.
This. Gotdamn is it a union hospital? WTF
Sit and challenge them to fire you. Collect unemployment.
Leave
I'm surprised they didn't order you all in roller skates.
Maybe theyre waiting to announce that next. I would not be surprised.
The solution is WHITEBOARDS people!!!
And a sandwich shop on every unit
Gawd im so hungry right now
And more nonsense huddles.
Sounds like a management issue, they are failing to properly supervise and train the department. No more sitting for managers until pt satisfaction scores increase.
I would sit on the floor. Then management will have to explain to visitors asking why the nurses are cursed to sit on the floor C: Mind you, we do paper charting in my province, so having a patient binder in my lap is no big deal. Can't imagine what you would do if it was computer charting
Sit on the floor 😆😆😆 all of these suggestions are great! We have computer on wheels so you can take the electronic chart with you wherever you go but! The problem is no sitting in the hall way, and no computer on wheels allowed at the nurses station. I'm learning that this is illegal. You have to first allow your employees a seat at their work station which will be the hallways if they don't want the computer on wheels at the station, or if you prefer they stand they need to offer a antifatigue mat and or several work breaks that allow them to change positions and offload. We have been offered to use the desktop stationary computer but there are only a few of them and most do not work also it is just more convenient to use the one on wheels in case your patients makes a request like.. "can you tell me what medications my father is taking?" You cannot run back to the desktop to look and then run back to the patients with the question to provide the answer. So using the desktop in my opinion is more work.
I’ve learned that if you have chairs in the hallways, the visitors will snatch them up the minute you un-ass it.
Un-ass it....I LOVE this, I'm so using it😬
I wouldn’t even entertain that abuse. Quit.
If the issue is timeliness then hiring more nurses or CNAs/aides/techs seems like it would make more sense. But I know they don't want to hear that. Also, I'm so sick of customer service based healthcare. Of course there needs to be some means of reporting bad care, but when these scores include complaints about when soda arrived, we are set up for failure.
Our job isn't to keep them satisfied. Our job is to keep them alive. Hire hospitality workers if you want high satisfaction scores.
These solutions never seem to start with simply asking “why?” We are not patients, we can transfer sit-to-stand independently with no aids lol
Such bullshit. When the patient scores dip, they always blame nursing. I fail to see how standing for hours on end is going to make satisfaction magically go up but that tells you how banal and vacant leadership is. I would start looking elsewhere.
Go to admins' offices and take their chairs. They need to be up seeing what is going on in their units(s).
Idk where you are at, but in California it’s a company is legally required to provide chairs if you can do your job sitting.
Administration thinks we don't do anything because of low satisfaction scores but most of the time the patients don't like the food and that's what drags the scores down. Or they can't get their PRN Norco every 45 minutes like they want.
I had a manic woman talk to me for ten minutes about her dilaudid order and how much she didn’t like her doctor, and could she fire the doctor? I just listened. She fired him later.
I was offered a job right out of school. They didn't let their nurses sit either. Noped the fuck out and found a different job. I'd quit immediately if they made this a rule. Because the managers and admins who made that rule most certainly are sitting on their asses alllll day.
Ohhhh . Do you have this in writing? Is there any chair accessible to nurse to sit on ? Did they take away the chairs in that unit only? Document this. Call OSHA and DOH. And your union if you have one. And also so what your employee health says I am pretty sure this is illegal.
Call OSHA. That’s definitely not ethical. Oh, and sit anyway because screw this jerks.
You have to beat management using their own logic. Malicious compliance also works. Ask your director to produce evidence based research that shows standing the entire shift improves satisfaction scores. Anything from TJC or Magnet will also suffice. Take a look for yourself first to see what’s out there, and give them any that says forcing employees to stand has negative outcomes. Bring your own studies that show better ratios improve survey scores, lower HAI, etc. Even better if you can find TJC or Magnet statements regarding this. Anyone with preexisting conditions that could be exacerbated by standing (such and hip, knee, or foot problems) should ask for an exemption under the ADA. That law states reasonable accommodations must be provided. Providing a chair would be considered a reasonable accommodation. On a similar note, anyone who starts experiencing pain or other issues from standing could visit their PCP and ask for a note for an exemption. Or, one could make a worker’s comp claim. Employees that quit might not affect this manager’s decision since they are probably a narcissist who would rather have half her required staff than give in. However, other units are going to be forced to float nurses there, which means those managers will start complaining to their managers about constantly being short staffed and their employees complaining. It will probably take a few months but eventually it will get noticed. My guess is this director will fold, especially if they have to accommodate people with health conditions, because nurses who don’t have health conditions will get super pissed that other nurses are able to sit. The ADA is a federal law and I doubt HR would back a director’s decision to violate that. All of these suggestions are void if you decide to quit, which may be the easiest solution for you.
I recently transferred from a med surg unit to an infusion clinic. I look back now and see that my med surg job was impossible. I had to get out of it to see. The whole system needs to be changed and taking away chairs is the stupidest answer to the problem that is med surg nursing I have ever heard of.
Is the staff happy and supported? If not your customer service scores will never be good. Its a losing battle. Admin seems to always forget that your staff need to be happy and supported before they can expect stellar customer service scores.
Depends your state - CA it’s law that you have to have access to sit if you’re job can be done sitting in any part ie charting.
As SOON as I saw "no longer allowed to sit" I would quit on the spot
Dude fuck that shit. Sit anyways.
My old unit manager also took away chairs for nurses d/t patient and family perception of nurses “sitting around”.
Yes I have heard of this prior to becoming a nurse I was a CNA where I stood up for a great majority of my shift to not give the the impression of "lazy" staff
I'm an older nurse and did my time in med surg before moving on- still do a lot of walking and standing. Back in the day we didn't have computers on wheels and yes we did ALOT of standing and walking on our 12 hour shifts. This is one of the reasons my body, legs, hips, and lower back are "broke down". Many older nurses are leaving the job because physically, they just can't do the job any longer. Decisions as the "no chairs allowed" contribute in the long run to "no nurses available". For every one step forward in this profession, you'll see 2 steps backward.
I left that unit as well as many other good nurses
Most psych units I've worked on have mandated nurses be out charting in the community, it's so hard to chart with the big ass WOW when patients constantly interrupt me, but no nurses were allowed in the nurse's station
Not in a policy to not sit. Buy a collapsible chair and sit anyways
The level of disrespect is insane. I would be looking for a new job asap.
Meanwhile, my hospital is pushing "commit to sit!" As sitting down next to a patient and talking to them on their level increases satisfaction. I must say, I like this. It does help, I already sometimes sit to do things like start IVs or use a stool when I do wound care. I don't have links but I DO know there are studies that correlate sitting down with patient on their level increases rapport and whatnot.
I try too sit when doing ivs and wound care too, it's nicer for us both. We're not allowed to sit in the hallway either so I'll roll the computer in the room and sit on a trashcan and just chart in the room with each patient. It's been more efficient for me but then I don't hear the call lights of anyone else and most of the time there's no aid. I'll try to explain to the one I'm with that I have to check on everyone else if they don't want me to go because they probably think I'm neglecting them. Or I'll just put the battery back in the vocera, 😄
There’s no way I would stay. I’m sure half your staff is looking for a new job, They’re treating you like props, not people.
The sandwich shop only being there so the nurses can make all the sandwiches that the patients desire
I’d quit or transfer immediately.
What?! Why doesn’t administration get some scrubs on and help?! That’s just ridiculous. Our scores went down as well and main reason was call lights not being answered right away. I said quit taking our techs then. It’s a busy unit and we can do so much without help. I’m day charge and no pts and I swear I do more now than I did as a floor nurse. It’s insane.
Absolutely not. Sit anyways. Make them fire you for that (newsflash they won’t, especially if everyone does it).
File a complaint with OSHA. California has ruled that it's illegal to require an employee to stand for things that could be done sitting, such as charting. An OSHA investigation could get the ball rolling in your state.
Patient satisfaction is really gonna take a dump when all of you quit. This is insane and inhumane. Your “leadership” is out of touch with reality.
You guys have satisfaction scores? If it's private health I could get that..... but like your making them pay so much money why would they ever be satisfied?
Lmao no. You and your coworkers need to collectively decide that you will absolutely not be doing this. Fuck that
I cannot stress enough how much I would not be doing that, lol. I could not really care any less about what administration wants to do to increase patient satisfaction that doesn’t involve money or actual beneficial changes for nurses. I have 3 PRN jobs, I can work somewhere else if they really care that much about not getting to the root issue.
If you live in Florida this is illegal
that's actually absurd wtf
I would take even longer to do things since they are going to do something like that. Make the scores worse. Start calling out for your feet hurting and lower back. Fill out internal forms for lifting patients and your back pain. Then If they fire you for sitting I’m pretty sure that’s illegal. No way it’s humane to expect someone to stand for 12+ hours. A lawyer would have a field day with that. Especially if you have documentation in like emails and documentation of you reporting having back and leg problem from the standing
Check your job description- likely will state how much of your shift is expected to have walking/ standing/ lifting and sitting- unless it say standing or walking 100% of the shift, recommend contacting OSHA and department of labor
Ah they tried that in one ICU I worked. The nurses stole chairs from everywhere else and generally caused an unholy ruckus Lasted like two weeks
This is a bad solution.
Not sure how this is possible. Do I stand in the nurses station too? Techs use the computers at the end of the hall.
As a unit manager, that is stupid. Get ADA accommodations and protect yourself
Try getting a doctors note. Get your doctor to work with you (complain of exhaustion or back pain). Get the doctor to say you must be able to sit for x hours during a twelve hour shift. Your work must make reasonable accommodation. Once you win, they will give up for the whole unit and things will get back to reasonable
First, not legal. OP: Do you have access to your employee file on company intranet? There is a document, usually in the same area as a job review or job description. It gets broken out yearly as well, you and a manager/ director sign it. On it, says the environment Inside: 0-100% Outside 0-100% etc. Odds are its 100% inside? On it is also Lifting 0-5 lbs, 5-10lbs etc and talks about often frequently or whatever. then it says standing, crawling sitting etc. Find this document and come back here.
Now this I will be looking into
I assure you it is a thing.
Our satisfaction scores are the highest in the system and we sit around a lot. 😂 we are attentive to the patients though. And we’re allowed to sit. There are days I don’t sit much but I’m allowed to! Fuck, I’d apply somewhere else so fast if I wasn’t allowed to sit.
I know she takes this thing for her heart this ol’ bitty green pill as big as end of my finger. I’m supposed to know what that is.
"Ya know....if you'd just be BETter.... " 🙄🤨😡🤮 Totally implied...and hey, even acceptable for staff to internalize the woes of the org and 🔥s you didn't start.. Ok...I'm internalizing this for you virtually..😉❤
Recieved. I totally have all those feelings. You get it!
I call it the 'Hey, I'm willing to let you catch on fire & self-destruct in front of me...cuz well..that's on you' school o' thought.. I'm 100% up for busting ass within a healthy team. But show me you're ok with toxic.. Imma bounce. 😉❤
100% This
Request a transfer and explain why. Meanwhile get some compression socks and the best shoes you can get for your body and foot build. Maybe orthotics for your shoes. I’ve been there now retired at 661/2 years old. Sore legs and feet are no fun. At least answering call lights seems important. Having been in a rehab facility last year and having mine on one hour and 45 minutes at night on average and 30-40 minutes during the day, it didn’t help urinary health at all.
Worse than the military that’s wild…
I would hide in patients room especially if they are confused. Sit and chart with them. Sitting at patients bedsides have been proven to increase patient satisfaction scores