In fact it would be illegal (there is a state law requiring a 1:1 ratio for ICU patients and nurses, with an exception allowing for two patients to a nurse if the nurse assesses both are stable). Sometimes only two.Without assigning a break RN to come in it would be impossible for any RN to leave the ICU. Keenan and others have also pointed out to management that there are only two or three RNs in the ICU at any given time. We went into nursing to take care of patients and because the hospital doesn’t find a break nurse necessary at this time, that means we as nurses sacrifice our self care to ensure that our patients are getting the care they deserve.” If we did take our breaks without an RN designated to just cover breaks, our fellow RNs could have 8-10 patients a piece which could impair patient safety. “There is no way we could take a break without putting all those patients in jeopardy.”Īccording to Caitlin Reczek, a charge nurse who is responsible for covering two of the hospital’s units at the same time, “We are frequently lacking the appropriate amount of ancillary/support staff (nursing aides and unit secretaries) and are usually working understaffed as it is. You can’t walk away and leave them, and you can’t give a co-worker your five extra patients on top of their five who are also medically unstable” Keenan explained. Most of our patients in the ER are medically unstable. “I and all of the other nurses that night had at least five patients apiece, not accounting for our need to provide care to any patients arriving by ambulance. This is occurring at a time when the medical research shows that every patient added to a nurse’s patient load increases the risk of death or injury for all those patients by 7 percent per patient assigned, meaning the patients under the care of the nurse with ten patients would be placed at a 35 percent increased risk for injury or death.Īccording to Walter Keenan, RN, a nurse in the hospital’s busy emergency department, the same week the citation was issued he and other nurses in the ED worked yet another 12.5 hour shift, with none of the nurses able to take a meal break. Nurses report that due to the lack of staff on the units, the decision to take a meal break is a dangerous Hobson’s choice between taking a break to rest and refuel to make it through a long shift, or in so doing, to force one of their colleagues to take on their patient assignment, meaning for a nurse on a medical floor who is usually providing care, and being legally accountable for the safety of their current five very sick patients, that nurse could now have up to ten patients. The penalty assessed is the maximum allowed in such circumstances. Attorney General’s Office’s Fair Labor Division found in issuing the citation that AJH management’s timekeeping records do not accurately reflect the hours actually worked by nurses who are unable to take a meal break and unable to get approval to miss a meal break. General Law (MGL) ch 149, sections 15 and 19(3), “Failure to keep true and accurate payroll records from to ”. The AG’s office issued a citation and fine totaling $7,500 last week against AJH for violations of Mass. NEWBURYPORT, MA – As the registered nurses at Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital (AJH) continue to engage in efforts to address longstanding concerns about the lack of staff and resources to ensure safe working conditions and quality patient care, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has stepped in to issue a citation and fine against the employer for a manifestation of that situation. This is the latest example of poor working conditions and mistreatment by hospital management that led nurses to cast overwhelming vote to authorize a three-day strike to attain a new contract to recruit and retain the staff needed to ensure quality patient care News & Events Attorney General Issues Citation and Fine Against Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital for Failure to Keep Accurate Time Records of Nurses Who Worked Through Meal Breaksĭespite Nurses Filing Complaint Over Inability to Take Legally Required Meal Breaks and Non-Payment in September 2022, Anna Jaques Management Still Has Not Made Meal Breaks Possible for Nurses Working 8-12 hour or longer shifts. Safe Patient Limits in MA Hospitals vs CA Hospitals.
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