We are concerned — but not surprised — about the hospital’s low patient satisfaction scores. We only need to look at hospital staffing to know how the hospital could do better.
At our January Staffing Issues Meeting, committee members, Sandy Gill, an RN in Med-Surg, and Susan Farrell in Outpatient Surgery, again proposed that the hospital staff for admits and, during the flu season, staff with extra RNs in the event that we are out sick with the flu. Under Title 22 it says, “The hospital shall plan for routine fluctuations in patient census.” During the flu season, there are invariably nurses out sick and an increase in the number of patients. During these times, we feel it would be in the hospital’s and patients’ best interests to schedule extra nurses. At the very least, the hospital should provide additional CNAs during those periods where staffing does not comply with the West Hills Hospital staffing acuity grid and Title 22.
We also proposed that when the old ICU is open, there be three RNs assigned there. This would allow an RN to leave the unit to pick up blood and medications, assist another nurse with patient care, and ensure that the monitors are being watched at all times. As it is now, there’s no back-up when one nurse has to leave the unit. We also proposed that ICU have a resource nurse so that there is coverage in the event of a rapid response call or to provide relief for rest and meal periods, etc. The hospital had little to say except that staffing would be better if employees did not use so much sick leave. Achoo! … Bless you.
During the last few months, RNs have been actively filing Assignment Despite Objection Forms. Below is a brief overview of some of the forms our Union received since January 20.
Date / Unit / Major Concern
Jan. 20 / ICU / Staffing out of ratio
Jan. 20 / 6W / Poor staffing, etc. in Remote Telemetry
Jan. 25 / 6W / Poor staffing, etc. in Remote Telemetry
Jan. 28 / COU / Insufficient staff for safe patient care
Jan. 29 / DOU, COU, Med-Surg / Charge RN had patients
Jan. 30 / DOU, COU / Charge RN also acting as Unit Secretary, Charge RN had patients
Jan. 30 / 6W / Poor staffing, etc. in Remote Telemetry
Jan. 31 / 6W / Poor staffing, etc. in Remote Telemetry
Feb. 1 / DOU / Charge RN assigned as MT
Feb. 1 / COU / Charge had patients
Feb. 1 / Burn / Insufficient staff for safe patient care
Feb. 4 / COU / No CNAs
Feb. 4 / DOU / Charge had patients; no CNAs
Feb. 4 / Med-Surg / Charge had patients
Feb. 5 / COU / No charge RN and CNAs needed
Feb. 5 / Med-Surg / No CNAs
Let’s Improve Patient Satisfaction!
Let’s Improve Staffing!
Continue to fill out ADO forms and fax to Union Representative Judith Serlin at (818) 760-8039
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