The last two weeks at the hospital have been insane. We’re a 28 bed ICU; in the winter months, we generally have about 18-24 patients at a time and in the summer months we generally have 8-12 patients (due to the snow birds we have visiting during the desert winters). Well, it’s currently the beginning of August and we have had 20 patients on several days in the last few weeks. We don’t have as many staff members in the summertime because staff are allowed (and encouraged) to take their vacation days during our slower months and the hospitals hire travelers in the wintertime to accomodate the increase. So, having a winter-like census during the summer months is a struggle as far as staffing goes.
I was the team leader (aka relief charge) for the ICU a couple days during our craziness and I can’t even begin to explain what a difference it makes to have such a wonderful coworkers at the hospital. I’m lucky to work alongside a group of people who are truly a team. If one person is getting their butt handed to them by their patient load, you’ll always see another staff member in the room. You’ll rarely see someone sitting down to chart if someone else needs a hand.
Just throwing that out there…. thanks to all my coworkers for being so great. I can only hope that most hospitals can retain this kind of staff. :)
