State Board of Nursing in Texas drafting position statement regarding working hours

[Horse with no Name]

This is going to get good.
Many hospitals have gone to 12 hour shifts in nursing to deal with staff shortages. By only requiring 2 bodies instead of 3 in a 24 hour period, it eased these shortages. However, some nurses still work what is commonly known as "The Baylor Plan" which is 16 hours on Saturday and 16 hours on Sunday and get paid for a full week. This was done to attract those that WANTED to work weekends and to give incentives to other staff nurses by only working weekdays.
Some hospitals also require their nurses to work mandatory overtime which personally, I detest.
So, the national patient safety movement fueled by The Institute of Medicine's Report in 1999 has turned towards examining the hours that nurses work and the rate of nursing errors (which are staggering...but also are underreported).
The Institute of Medicine's Keeping Patients Safe in 2003 identified diminished reactions when nursing work hours were excessive and rest periods were inadequate (most of the time we do not get actual breaks--but just eat whenever you have a few minutes). Rogers (2004) found that nurses that work longer than 12.5 hours (interesting number btw considering most work 12 hour shifts--not saying this number doesn't have politics attached to it)--errors were three times as likely to occur.
So...they are proposing some big changes. The draft is proposing some interesting solutions:
Requiring a minimum of 1 day off a week
60-hours maximum in 7-day work period
No more than 3 consecutive days of 12-hour shifts.

But interestingly--the onus of this will fall back to the nurses and if asked to work in excess of these guidelines will be required to file what is known as Safe Harbor--basically declaring through paperwork to the State Board that her employer forced her to work under conditions she recognized as unsafe.
Also, this will be broad spectrum. Nurses that work more than one job will have to comply with the guidelines as well or face board action for engaging in unprofessional conduct that disregarded the safety of and was likely to injure a patient or the public.
Of course there are stipulations for emergency situations.

This should get interesting...

[meegbear]

1. Link?

[Horse with no Name]

4. I don't have one

I just received my Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin in the mail.
There is a notice of public hearing concerning Proposed Position Statement 15.26 at 3 pm, April 18 in Room 102, William Hobby Building, 333 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas.
It isn't online yet.

[meegbear]

7. Gotcha ...

I work on the side for a company that does online testing for, among other states, the Texas Workman's Compensation test (TIRSAT). Figured I'd forward the link to my cohorts.

I will let them know about this. Thanks.

[Ishoutandscream2]

2. Went to an ER two weekends ago

My mom fell, and I took her in. Great care and staff, and very impressed.

My mom is a former RN, and the RN working on her asked her to come to work at the hospital. Of course, my mom said she didn't have the ability to do such streneous work anymore. The RN said they needed more help. She was working her second 16 hour shift. She said she loved her job, and was making six figures salary, but the long hours were getting to her.

[Warpy]

3. Mandatory overtime and brutal working conditions

are the reasons 50% of trained RNs in this country are no longer practicing.

[etherealtruth]

6. That's why I left

...or, it played the most significant role in my decision.

[bluedeminredstate]

5. No way would I work in a hospital.

I always felt like a walking law suit. I am now working for a busy family practice and am very happy even though the money isn't going to make me a mogul anytime soon...