Feeling ignored

Why they are putting you on the babies room alone? Stuff ratio! Hard enough looking after one baby alone let alone 4! Bloody ridiculous!

You have to let the director know that you do need help! When babies are all crying call her into the room and show her that it's hard to settle them by yourself and if she can help you.

Go through the routine and pick times that you really struggle such as sleep times and during meals a d tell the Director that during these times at least you need another Educator on hand.. then during play time etc you can manage...

I'd be fed up as well!

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Lorina

Thank you so much for your reply!

Unfortunately, the director knows and has seen how much I am struggling, but she’s going on maternity leave soon and, in her words, “can’t be bothered to get more staff” to help me out.

I feel like it’s unsafe practices to have me there by myself, and it’s such a relief to talk to someone who understands!

Yeah it's definitely unsafe.. I mean you only got so many hands and eyes and you definitely can't be everywhere at once..

So when she goes on maternity leave can her replacement possibly help out. It's not necessarily about "getting more staff" as such instead use the staff you already got to step in when you need an extra set of hands.

Do the Directors work on the floor or in the office full time? Because they can also step in when needed...

,
Lorina

I think the blame at the moment is ‘understaffing’ as to give me an extra pair of hands, would mean not having the right ratio in another room. We don’t have any spare, casual or cover staff of a day, and usually the director only steps in to cover people’s lunch breaks.

The rest of the time she says she’s ‘too busy’ answering the phones and emails, or she’ll say that she’ll come and help me out, but then never actually arrive. The room that I’m in is very cut off and kind of at the end of a long hallway, not connected to any other room, so I really have to shout if I want help.

To add insult to injury, the person taking over from the director is a current staff member; a room leader in the 2-3 room, and she is expected to keep up her room leading duties in that room, AS WELL AS taking on the director position.

I feel like everything’s going to fall apart as soon as the director leaves

If you are managing a room alone and has already asked a request but seems to be ignored, you should just probably as for someone's help... or better talk to your immediate supervisor and tell that you have a problem with managing the patients. I know it is a difficult job since you have to take care of four crying babies. I think talking personally can also really help a lot. It is not only for your sake but also for the patients and babies. This is to make sure that the patient's safety and your physical and mental health is stable.