July 23, 2002
After tomorrow night, I will be the only full time staff nurse on our unit. I should get a medal. Working the most, paid the least. What are they going to do, you ask? How are they going to provide care for all of their patients with such terrible staffing? I have no idea what they are thinking. Either they think I am super nurse and will be able to do the job of five nurses in a single bound, or they are plotting to run me off. If things got really bad, I would consider leaving. We do have some part time nurses, so I am not alone, but they only work 2 days a week. We need full timers. I went to the staff meeting the other day and our new Chief Nursing Officer asked the three of us sitting there what *we* were going to do about *our* staffing problem. I thoguht that was his job. He's the one getting paid the big bucks. Pay us more and make it worth our while to work here. Then you will retain staff and attract some new nurses. Until then, there are better places to live and better hospitals to work at and that's where all the nurses are working. I am a little worried about how things are going to be, since I am the one having to hold down the fort. Practically alone, except for the twenty sick, confused old people. Pray for me.