Reference no: EM133830749

Question

Julie Savoy is 31-year-old registered nurse and has recently returned to nursing. She has been working for 6 months on a surgical unit for cardiovascular patients. Julie works nights from 12 midnight until 8:00 am. Upon arriving to work, she learns that, due to several sick calls, the staffing for the night will include her, one other registered nurse who is a new graduate and has been on the unit for less than a month, and a nursing assistant to care for 18 patients. Six of the patients were just transferred from the critical care units the shift before. Julie becomes very concerned about the fact that the staffing ratios are less than the minimum required and that both she and the other nurse are relatively new to this area. She asks to speak to the nursing supervisor and voices her concerns. The supervisor is sympathetic but says that Julie has to carry on and serve as the charge nurse since she has not been able to get other staff and the hospital is bulging at the seams with patients. Julie is very apprehensive. She knows this situation is not right and that patient.