25 signatures reached
To: CHI Health
Staff to round on one unit at a time
We petition for staff to be assigned to round on one unit at a time, for safety of the patients, techs, and nurses.
Why is this important?
Having one technician per unit (open and special care), instead of one for both units, will ultimately benefit the entire unit by increasing safety and creating a better environment for everyone. Furthermore, sufficient staffing will allow staff to have more time to assist and comfort patients and will let technicians also be able to greater assist nurses. With more assistance, nurses will be able to provide better care to their patients. Lastly, sufficient staffing will prevent burnout in all staff, therefore possibly decreasing overall call outs and turn over rates.
For reference that Mcdermott is insufficiently staffed, Boys town has a ratio of 1 psychiatric technician per 6-8 patients (according to their psychiatric tech job application). On their website this number is stated to ensure a constant safe ratio of staff to patients and allows technicians to consistently provide the highest quality of care.
According to California Law “(13) The licenses nurse-to-patient ratio in a psychiatric shall be 1:6 or fewer at all times. For purposes of psychiatric units only, “licensed nurses” also include psychiatric technicians in addition to licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses. Licensed vocational nurses, psychiatric technicians, or a combination of both, shall not exceed 50 percent of the licensed nurses on the unit.”
At Mcdermott there is 1 tech for up to 21 patients and two psychiatric units. This number includes special care, a unit which has a higher acuity and requires significantly more attention.
According to the job description of a Mental Health Technician at CHI our main job is described as to assist patients with their individuality, self-expression, acknowledging and accepting responsibility for psychological and behavioral patterns, participate in admission procedures, orient patient and family to unit, lastly, perform basic tasks such as vitals.
Rounding is not listed, nor prioritized as the main job function in the description. Electronic rounding for two units is time consuming and only leaves a few minutes between each round. A few minutes is hardly enough time to get a patient necessary items, such as toiletries, let alone have a conversation with them and work on all the other factors described in the job explanation.
The mission of CHI emphasizes human dignity and social justice while creating healthier communities. The core values include reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence, and the spiritual mission is to address each patients spiritual and emotional needs as well as physical. Working towards CHI’s mission while understaffed and in unsafe conditions is impracticable, unsustainable and unjust to patients and employees.
https://www.boystownhospital.org/services/behavioral-health/psychiatric-inpatient-care
How it will be delivered
This petition will be electronically delivered to the corporate responsibility member of CHI.
