CHARLESTON, South Carolina (WCBD) — A nurse who works at Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center spoke on Veterans Day about staffing and payroll issues she says are negatively impacting patient care.
“Honestly, we feel like nothing,” said a nurse who requested anonymity. “We’ve been working forced overtime for a year and a half. We’re tired. We’re bleeding nurses.”
Burnout from understaffing leaves nurses exhausted and upset. Their current wages, which some say are too low, are another matter. Nurses also say hospitals aren’t doing enough to hire more nurses.
“I get to the point where I respect my leadership and say ‘Help!’ We are holding out but we need help and we need it now,” said another anonymous nurse .
Demands from nurses are that hospitals expedite the recruitment process for registered nurses, give nurses raises, and monitor nurse-to-patient ratios for better care.
But patience is wearing thin for most of the staff.
“We can’t keep hearing, ‘It’s coming soon.’ We’re waiting for this. We’re still waiting for this. I don’t know, I don’t know.” I want a deadline. This is the federal government. Set a deadline. Set expectations for these processes to be put in place,” said her second nurse.
A protest was planned for Veterans Day, with nurses expressing their displeasure at the hospital, but was canceled due to inclement weather. There are currently no makeup schedules.
The first nurse said, “With nothing happening, I felt that this was the last thing our leadership could do and that it might help, so we’re trying to bring attention to this.” Told.
The Charleston VAMC has responded to complaints.
Wayne Capps of the hospital’s public relations office said: “The Charleston VA nurse turnover rate has ranged from her 5.9{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c} to her 12.9{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c} over the past two years, less than half the national average of 27.1{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c}.”
The hospital said it met all of its quality care and patient safety standards. As for wages, Capps said registered nurses are paid more at the hospital than at other Charleston hospitals.
“Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System nurses are paid an average of 28{ea2cba5bdf6fe62bbe85e24807814144a71e77d3ae7311fbc27a008558d1372c} more than their local peers. We are doing it,” said Capps.
