August 20, 2007

After-work rantings

I just realized that I'm actually having weird pregnant cravings. I didn't have that when I was pregnant with the other two munchkins. I'd just want ice cream, french toast, etc, but at different times. I just got home from work and finished off a huge helping of black grapes and a bowl of ramen noodles.
I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the hospital lately. We are short staffed and something had to be done to cover holes and take care of patients safely. So the management did some creative things. Most people work 8 hours shifts and a few nurses from day shift and nights agreed to do 3 12 hours shifts to cover 3-11, which is the shortest staffed shift. But they allowed to do 12 hours shifts have only been here at most 2 years, and a few more experienced nurses wanted to do it also but weren't allowed. Not sure why. Fine. Well, a couple nurses left from night shift and since 2 of our girls are only working 3 days instead of 4, we're short more frequently. Now they want to pull these same 2 girls off of their weekends. (We're required to do 1 weekend every 4 weeks). We're already short of weekends, expecially at night. I work a weekend-option where I work every weekend for premium pay plus 1 day during the week. I am allowed 2 weekends off a year. I put in for a weekend off before the baby comes and it was denied because there isn't enough staff. Makes sense then to pull 2 people off of their weekend. So not only do I have to work with even less staff every weekend, be in charge (oh, our 2 full-time night charge nurses are gone.) which I hate, hate, hate, and not get my weekend off I'm entitled to and cant carry over to next year. Maybe management has a brilliant plan I'm not seeing. Ugh. It's getting ugly. All I want to do is be a labor nurse and take care of labor patients, with enough staff to do it safely. Anyone got any openings?!

1 comment:

AtYourCervix said...

We have openings! We just had 6 nurses leave in the past 1-2 months, and are short staffed for eves/nights.

We have a manager from hell who doesn't know her ass from her face, but we have some of the BEST nurses working the floor!!

We have the BEST teamwork and we get together frequently after work for drinks/dancing/beach trips, etc.