Bedside nursing and hospital expectations are not realistic. Nurses are swamped with numerous tasks, procedures, and protocols on top of unsafe patient ratios, and are not supported by upper management. Their frustration builds as their voices aren't heard, leading to high turnover. If hospitals would mandate safe patient ratios and actually adhere to them, that would be a step in the right direction. Also, given the amount of work and liability on nurses' shoulders, nurses should be compensated accordingly.

At one point while working on a telemetry unit on the night shift, I had 10 patients and no aide, and that was a normal occurrence. Upper management did not listen to the staff nurses' concerns about liability; patient safety; nurses nearly passing out due to inability to eat, drink, or use the bathroom over 12 to 14 hours; improper patient placement; or patients hitting and abusing the nurses. So, naturally, an exodus is occurring, and everyone is asking why.

I wanted someone to listen to my educated opinion and actually respect it. So, after three years at the bedside, I left, went to graduate school, and now I'm an NP.

If you want to keep nurses, listen to them, and actually do as they request.

Stephanie F., via ajnoffthecharts.com