eastwestnocoast t1_ixas2mc wrote
I have friends who work in the ED at PRMC and it is grim right now… don’t get me wrong it’s bad at almost ever ED but Prov especially is struggling. Their administrators brilliant idea to respond to this event? Make floor nurses cover 7-8 patients instead of 4-5. They are not doing anything to retain their current staff and are having problems getting new staff. I attended a nursing school that was basically a direct pipeline to work at PRMC but after spending all their clinicals at that hospital is it any surprise that the nursing students are now looking at other hospitals in the area for their first job? I know I did. Most of the other hospitals pay better too…
iamlucky13 t1_ixb8k5j wrote
Since Providence is clearly overwhelmed, how can the region divert some of this patient load to other hospitals?
I know location and insurance are important factors in choosing where to go for ER care, but it doesn't make sense if Providence is consistently overwhelmed for such large numbers of patients to keep going there.
eastwestnocoast t1_ixb9gfp wrote
One issue is Prov Everett is a level 2 trauma center and there aren’t a ton around (two other closest are Bellingham and Tacoma and they’re also pretty swamped). Only level 1 trauma center is Harborview which is the only one in WA ID AK and MT so it’s swamped. Lesser injuries could be seen at other hospitals but almost every hospital is swamped. Why are they swamped? Higher acuity patients (not reallyfixable unless we completely revamp our primary care system and make it more accessible so it can be more focused on preventative healthcare) and short staffing. Everywhere is short staffed because nurses are being underpaid, treated poorly and leaving bedside. Quickest fix would be to pay nurses more and enact safe staffing laws so they feel more supported. Longer term fix is to expand nursing school spots but that would require more educators, paying them more, and making sure there are enough nurses in the hospital to train the students. It’s honestly a mess and I don’t have good solutions. My hope is that we will eventually completely revamp our for profit healthcare system and go towards universal healthcare.
eastwestnocoast t1_ixb9x1h wrote
Not long ago St. Michaels on Kitsap had their ED charge nurse call in the local EMTs to help staff their department they were so overwhelmed. It’s a mess out there.
whitepawn23 t1_ixdv21m wrote
I would quit the morning after they gave me 7-8. I can travel to OR and do 5. Or do a Midwest PCU I like, that likes me back, with 4.
7-8 isn’t safe.
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