[lil nursey girl]

I am a new grad with a new job in Portland, OR area. I had thought that all hospitals were union and that it was just certain members who were or were not affiliated (such as nurse supervisors, managers, etc). Because of this misconception I had assumed that I would be joining union as well so I didn't even ask the question. After being hired and was given my information packet when I noticed there was no union info attached I did ask and found out that this hospital is completely non-union nurses. At that time I thought WOW, they must treat there nurses well to be able to do that.

Since starting my orientation though there are some things that bother me. They have started a new online charting system. I can not explain what a HUGE change this has been for so many people. Some employee's having never touched a computer before in there lives. I think in the end it will really be a great way to contain pt charts but there are some problems with the new system. To make a long story short, they haven’t worked all of the bugs out. Specifically, there are some problems with the MAR. There are discrepancies with the lab and floor nurses as well as not all meds showing up on all computers. All of the nurses that I've talked to want it pulled but the administration is telling us that is our responsibility and our problem. I just can't help feeling that if we were union they wouldn't be putting us at risk like this.

I asked another nurse about the union issue and she said that there are too many nurses who have been there forever and it'll never happen. Maybe this isn't just a union question but an OSBN question as well.

It's hard enough being new and learning a new system without having to watch my back all of the time. Also, being new I don't want to rock the boat.

How would you get a non-union hospital to unionize if people are really set in there way? Is there really the benefit to this that I'm thinking there might be?

[ainz]

Very good questions. In my opinion, unions are a two edged sword. On the one hand they may help working conditions for the shorter term. However, the price paid for this is the perpetuation of nursing as a blue collar semi-profession.

I don't think that your administration has said that the problems with the new charting system are the staff's problems to work out. I would guess you are getting some wrong information or some of the staff that are unhappy are interpreting it that way. Administration and the hospital as a whole has too much at stake with a system like that to just throw you guys to the wolves. The electronic medical record is coming and within a few years will probably be in most, if not all, hospitals. So it is best to go ahead and work out the bugs, then you are ahead of the game.

I do not like unions. I would not join a union. I have never had to have anyone else take care of my business for me, just my opinion.

[-jt]

First of all, you cant become a union if your colleagues dont want to be a union. Its something they have to want, vote for and approve. So first youd have to find out if there are others there who feel as you do. Secondly, dont think that just because you become a union, the employer wont try to do whatever it wants anyway or that there magically will be no problems. Of course there will be. Even if you were a union, your hospital could have installed a new computer system, but you would have been involved in the plan and had a forum for making sure they promptly handled the problems with it.

Even when we are a union, some employers will still try to do things to us, instead of with us. But as a union, we have a legal means to have guaranteed input in the decision making, must be involved in & approve things that affect us and our job, have legal standing as an equal partner with the employer and must be heard. The employer cant get away with just doing things to us without our input or approval, as they can if you arent a union and the employer is Sole Supreme Ruler. That doesnt mean they dont still try. So even when you are a union, you still can have problems, you just have a way to make sure they get fixed - other than just complaining about it and getting ignored by the administration.

Anyway, rather than trying to unionize to solve this computer problem, the easiest thing to do would be to just document the problems with the computers and how they are affecting pt care & submit it to risk management with copies to your manager & all the head honchos.

Lastly, I disagree with the comment that a union is "someone else" coming in to take care of your business for you. That would depend on the kind of union you affiliate with. In an all-RN union, like mine & the 26 other state nurses assocs that are also labor unions, there is no third party taking care of your business for you. The staff nurses who work at a facility elect their leaders from among their own staff nurse colleague and they take care of their own business themselves - as a collective body. Personally, I wont work at the bedside in a non-union facility ever again.

For more info, see:
Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), the most powerful collective bargaining agent in the state -
http://www.oregonrn.org/services-labor.php

[-jt]

FYI:

Oregon Nurses Assoc Represents RN's at These Hospitals and Health Care Facilities:

Albany General Hospital, American Red Cross, Bay Area Hospital, Benton County Health Department, Central Oregon District Hospital, Clatsop County Health Department, Columbia Douglas Community Hospital, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Coos County Health Department, Coquille Valley Hospital, Eastern Oregon Psychiatric Center, Eastern Oregon Support Center, Eastern Oregon Training Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Good Shepherd Community Hospital, Grande Ronde Hospital, Harney District Hospital, Holy Rosary Medical Center, Kaiser Surgicenter, Klamath County Health Department, Lake District Hospital, Lebanon Community Hospital, Marion County Health Department, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital, Merle West Medical Center, Mid-Columbia Medical Center, Multnomah County Health Department, Oregon Health Sciences University, Pacific Communities Hospital, Peace Harbor Hospital, Providence Hood River Memorial, Providence Portland Medical Center, Providence Seaside, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Rogue Valley Medical Center, Sacred Heart General Hospital, Sacred Heart Home Health, St. Anthony Hospital, St. Charles Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Silverton Hospital, State Group Homes (MHDDSD), Tuality Community Hospital, Valley Community Hospital, Visiting Nurse Association, Washington County Health Department, Willamette Falls Hospital and Willamette Falls Home Health.

http://www.oregonrn.org

[sjoe]

"To make a long story short, they haven’t worked all of the bugs out."

Clue phone--"they" never will (or the IT people--otherwise known as "they"-- would be out of a job). But a reasonable computer system helps a lot.

Unions? My experience with the CNA and SEIU is that they are typical company unions, of some help to RNs, but not much. Try to get the Teamsters to organize you. They have some clout.

[pickledpepperRN]

If you are a nurse who is or has been represented by the Teamsters please tell us about it.

[Spidey's mom]

We just started using a new computerized pharmacy med pass system and while there are "bugs", mostly they are user error bugs and not bugs in the system. It is just going to take some time to learn this new system. Computers are the way of the future . . .a union rep won't change that.

I would join with those who say they would never join a union. I can represent myself quite nicely thank you.

steph

[epg_pei]

Mentioning the word "union" around some tight-a**ed management types can be the beginning of the end for your employment at that facility. Seriously!

[Gldngrl]

To those who say they can represent themselves, I have a question- how do you advocate for change? I ask this b/c I work without a union in a right to work state and I have documented, requested, pleaded, etc. for appropriate staffing, for charge and preceptor pay, and for changes in protocols for patient safety and my efforts have been for naught. I admit I'm biased as I came from a union hospital in the NorthEast and I'm preparing to become a labour attorney, but I'm interested in hearing from those who do not believe in union representation who have been able to represent themselves so to speak. (My apologies for hijacking the thread-I hope it's only a mild digression).
MMB

[gwenith]

Originally posted by ainz
Very good questions. In my opinion, unions are a two edged sword. On the one hand they may help working conditions for the shorter term. However, the price paid for this is the perpetuation of nursing as a blue collar semi-profession.

I don't think that your administration has said that the problems with the new charting system are the staff's problems to work out. I would guess you are getting some wrong information or some of the staff that are unhappy are interpreting it that way. Administration and the hospital as a whole has too much at stake with a system like that to just throw you guys to the wolves. The electronic medical record is coming and within a few years will probably be in most, if not all, hospitals. So it is best to go ahead and work out the bugs, then you are ahead of the game.

I do not like unions. I would not join a union. I have never had to have anyone else take care of my business for me, just my opinion.

Ainz - sorry I have to disagree about the union issue. Perhaps this is just a cultural thing from a different country but we have a nurses union here in our state, other states have a Federation. Both act in the same way and there is no diference in the way the nurses are percieved in our state versus any other state. To be honest with you most other professions do not even realise we are unionised and those that do are jealous of the progress the union has made for us. They recognise that we HAVE to be unionised to protect ourselves. I have never in my long career heard nurses equated to blue collar workers because we have a union/federation. That belief seems to be a myth perpetrated within our literature. But then again it could be cultural.

You are right though about management getting the wrong information. Nurses complain, nurses complain a lot but they seldom complain effectively.

Itemise your concerns list them and specify the exact problems. THEN take that list to management written clearly and succinctly. If this does not work and they stiil say it is "your problem" think of a way to make it thier problem.