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Thread-Topic: S. 371 Concerns
From: <governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com>
To: <governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com>
Subject: S. 371 Concerns
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:12:48 -0400
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<APP>CUSTOM
<PREFIX>Mrs</PREFIX>
<FIRST>Anna</FIRST>
<MIDDLE></MIDDLE>
<LAST>Reardon</LAST>
<SUFFIX></SUFFIX>
<TITLE></TITLE>
<ORGANIZATION></ORGANIZATION>
<ADDR1>421 Lookover Drive</ADDR1>
<ADDR2></ADDR2>
<CITY>Anderson</CITY>
<STATE>SC</STATE>
<ZIP>29621</ZIP>
<EMAIL>annar11155@yahoo.com</EMAIL>
<PHONE_H></PHONE_H>
<PHONE_B></PHONE_B>
<ISSUE>GOVE</ISSUE>
<SUBJECT>S. 371 Concerns</SUBJECT>
<MSG>
The following was sent to Senator Bryant regarding S.371

I presume you have had a pluthera of messages, emails, and voicemails regarding the bill set forth awaiting approval from the Governor regarding the termination of a nursing license after a medical error. When I first read the proposed bill as a nurse I felt pressure myself. As a former pharmacist, you should know how difficult it is at times to read a prescription from a doctor and hard to understand telephone orders at times. Especially during the late night hours, the doctor may be unavailable for clarification, therefore a patient may miss a prescribed dose. With the law that is set forth, if a patient goes without a medication due to illegibility of an order, a nurses license can be terminated.

I have worked at a long term facility where on third shift a nurse is responsible for 66 patients, second and first are responsible for 33. At times, the doctors would place charts back in chart racks and orders would not be seen until the next day. The new law would then terminate the license of up to three nurses because the order was not seen and would be considered a med error. At this facility, they require staff to take a "30 minute break," meaning they require staff to clock out for a break even though they are still working.

Currently working at an area hospital, I have had 12 patients. While the patient load is less, the work is more. Having to check charts multiple times a shift along with right before I leave for orders along with attempting to provide the best possible care to improve patient satisfaction surveys, there are times when we do not have a chance to use the restroom, eat, or even sit down for 12 or more hours at a time.

I propose an amendment to the bill stated. I propose that doctors orders need to be legible and a decrease in the nurse to patient ratio in both sub acute and acute care facilities. This will allow for the proposed law to take effect and protect nurses from making med errors. These two additions in itself would in theory be enough to decrease med errors to a minimal.

While nurses are required to take on more and more responsibilities for more and more patients it is almost inevitable a med error will occur. While individual facilities are required to document med errors, the law would then turn the documentation of a med error into an unemployed nurse, making the nursing shortage in our state greater than it is already. The law will also create an atmosphere where med errors are not reported unless caught by someone else due to fears of unemployment.

Please consider these options and possible consequences before pursuing the law even further.
</MSG>

</APP>