Why is unionization a subject of taboo??

[wanderlustRN24]

Hey everybody,

I work on a busy telemetry floor in Florida. Most days/nights (I work both) I am running around like crazy trying to get everything done with minimal time to take a break, go to lunch, or go to the bathroom. Pay is not that great and I feel as if upper mgmt continuously send patients that are not appropriate acuity for our floor. We are staffed 5:1 and have rapid responses/codes daily and are always shipping people off to the ICU for higher level of care. Also, our charge nurse usually takes patients and we are usually also short staffed a tech leaving the individual RN to fend for ourselves.

I know it is like this everywhere (at least on telemetry units)....sooooo why aren't nurses banding together to stop this? Why is it such taboo to talk about starting a nursing union in Florida (or in other states for that matter)?

In a private conversation with my ANM (who I have grown close with through the ups and downs of our crazy floor), I asked her this same question. She totally freaked out on me and refused to even say the word "union" out loud suggesting that if someone overheard us, we could be fired on the spot. What? Seriously? I'm not saying that unionization is the absolute answer but maybe blending some of their ideas with our own to make for a better workplace for all. Why are we not allowed to even talk about it out loud? This isn't a dictatorship. And nurses continue to put up with this. They say things like, "It is what it is." Actually, usually, it is what it shouldn't be.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. As a disclaimer, I am very thankful to have a job and I do enjoy taking care of my patients. Have a great day!

[lynnintn]

I believe her post was meant to be satirical.

[tewdles, RN]

I believe her post was meant to be satirical.

Yeah, we got that...

...satire in an angry, "let me show you how ridiculous the lefties are" sort of fashion.

I get that some "conservatives" despise what they perceive as "extreme left" politics. The same might be said to be true for "progressives" who also despise "extreme right" politics. Most of us fall in the middle between the extremes...and that is where we want to be governed, frankly.

The reality is that when people use "extremes" to villify those with whom they disagree, they, themselves, look and sound like an extremist. The ability to listen, hear, and value the opinions of others (even if you don't agree) is not currently part of our public discourse and the ability of our political leaders to do their jobs is hampered by this climate of all or nothing.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

How about a "just let it go, everyone" fashion for a change?

The finger-pointing gets sooooo old, and with an election year on top of everything else, we're bombarded constantly with left vs right crap in every facet of our daily lives -- can't we get a reprieve here on AN?

NOTE: This isn't directed at any one person -- just wanted to clarify that. I'm sick of righties yelling at lefties and at lefties yelling at righties. Of course, most of us live in a free country, and you are under no obligation to let it go -- just a suggestion.

[Ruthfarmer]

It boils down to fear. Personal and group fears foster the all or nothing mentality. Some folks feel threatened and some how feel diminished by the thought that someone else might have a differing perspective. Some folks are limited in their coping skills when it comes to dissonance. The fear causes them to lash out in anger. It becomes a very entrenched habit to respond irrationally and in anger. It almost becomes reflexive. This reflex prevents them from considering another point of view. It's a viscous cycle of fear of being diminished and reflexive anger response that prevents people from considering another point of view. It stifles personal growth on many levels.

It's a shame that some folks can't just view a discussion forum as an opportunity to discuss issues and be exposed to differing points of view. Some of us view it as an opportunity for learning from another's experience.