Difficult Situations in Staffing

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Difficult Situations in Staffing

Karen was employed at a psychiatric hospital in the community, on the overnight shift. Karen had worked every shift at the hospital depending on family needs. Karen was well liked and respected as a hard worker, who did not complain. Psychiatric hospitals have to admit anyone who are harm to themselves or others no matter how full or find a bed for them else where. There were many times the day lounge area had patients sleeping on the coach, chairs and floor. The hospital never staffed for anticipated admission and there were always admissions, this resulted in increase pateint to staff ratios and safety becomes major issues (Bronn 2010).

Nursing shortages contribute to overwork, fatigue and errors.

Having worked as the Nurse House Supervisor many times, this nurse knew there were not enough nurses to go around, and no consideration was to be taken for admissions but all discharges had to be factored in to decrease the need for staff and support the staffing numbers on paper. The hospital was frequently short of staff, it was hard to get nurses to work, especially young nurses, data reflects young nurse are not attracted to psychiatric nursing and this may be the cause for a shortage of psychiartic nurses (Seed, Torkelson, Annatour 2010).

The usuall staffing patterns are 4 staff at night to 42 patients a registard nurse (RN) and a mental health techniquan (MHT) for each of the 2 sides, each side sharing the same nurses station. On this night there was only 1 MHT and 2 RN’s. The night nurse’s duties are admissions, chart checks, including making sure every order in the last 24 hours was transcribed correctly, carried out correctly and documented. The night nurse was to also, recopy Medicati...

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...te: A 30 month emergency department review. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 20, 521. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2008.01140.x

Seed, S. M., Torkelson J. D., Annatour R., (2010). The Role of the Inpatient Psychiatric Nurse and Its Effect on Job Satisfaction. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31, 160. doi: 10.3109/01612840903168729

Seed, S. M., Torkelson J. D., Annatour R., (2010). The Role of the Inpatient Psychiatric Nurse and Its Effect on Job Satisfaction. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31, 161. DOI: 10.3109/01612840903168729

Souder, E., O’Sullivan, P., (2003). Disruptive behaviors of older adults in institutional setting. Gerontological Nursing, 29, (8) 31. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=17&hid=111&sid=a7dccb27-7a16-469f-b7ef-24717bacd3ef%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=c8h&AN=2003139601

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