[stretch thin]

When do we say enough is enough? We're overworked, underpayed, and unappreciated. I've been a nurse for 5 years, but I feel like I've been in this for 25 years. I hear everyone say: If only I could spend more time with patients or If they would give us a little more money. And everyones right! We sure in the heck didn't go into this field to make the money, we went into to take care of people. We take the verbal abuse and yes sometimes the physical abuse(you can tell I work in the ER) simply because we care about people and their well being. We want to help them through their troubles and their pains, but yet we're not able to that. Why? I know at the hospital I work at we have to many CEO's, assistants, and managers taking up space. We've turned healthcare into a business. It can't be ran like that. Granted their several people that I take care of that don't have a dime to their name, but that doesn't mean I treat them any different. What's the answer?
Next question-MONEY! None us are asking for 3.5 million a year, but we would like to be able to afford the cost of living. Look at the gas prices. Pretty soon the hospitals will have a bus to pick us up at our homes so we can work. Face it, the cost of living has continously risen in the last 5 years. Has our wages? Sure we may have gotten a few cents here, but does that really help?
You need to ask yourself, if all the nurses on your shift called in, what would administration do? They need us! Our patients need us! I know in the ER, it never stops. Is a union the answer? If we don't stand up, we'll continue to be pushed to the side. I know I've voiced my complaints, but I continue to go unheard. Please don't get me wrong, I love my job. I'm proud to be a nurse! I just don't want to end up at the review board defending my job! If anyone has the answers, I'm eager to listen.

[oktravelnurse]

I feel like we are overworked and underpaid. Patients and family members are more demanding, illmannered, and for some reason feel like we are their servants. I don't feel like the doctors or the nurses are in control because so many hosptials are wanting their business.
In Okla. we are assigned too many patients and management does not care. If there is a mistake made due to the pt load they will not back you. We all know that @ times we have had that rough team that is rude and demanding. There are some days when no matter what you do it isn't enough. I think the general public needs to be educated on hospital etiquette. I think the nurses need to have more power over their pt care. What about the family member that is trying to interfere w/ pt care. Why can't we send them home? We can after involving the charge nurse, the supervisor and some times security. I think nurse pt ratios would be very helpful. Nurse managers would have less customer service issues. Instead now management wants us not to reveal how many pts we are caring for. It will not get any better until nurses stand together and say "no more". That is what happened in Calif. and not all of the hospitals have unions. The state nursing association is very strong. I don't know exactly what the answer is. I do know that as time goes on w/ the nursing shortage the one who pays will get the nurses. That is what is happening right now in Calif. There are other states considering nurse/pt ratios....Mass, in Arizona is it not a law but w/ the retirement population being so high some of the hospitals are implementing low nurse/pt ratios. At the rate we are going we will all be burned out. Do the hospitals care? NO! everything is a business! We as nurses must stand together. I refuse to put my license in jeapordy for the bottom line. If we refuse to take 10+ pts maybe the hospital will start implementing an "on call" policy. Remember there is power in numbers!

[pickledpepperRN]

I am heartened to see two posts on UNITY in the Oklahoma forum
Although I've never even been to Tulsa I lived in OK for 12 years and visit loved ones every year.
I agree people are friendlier than most in Los Angeles.

You don't have to have a union but I think you can accomplish improvements much 'sooner' by learning from our California mistakes.
Get together with fellow nurses. Maybe a monthly pot luck or restaurant meal. At least check out our web sites or call (800) 540-3603.


http://www.calnurses.org/nursing-pra...ios_index.html
http://www.calnurses.org/nnoc/

Bless Oklahoma nurses and all of us who do this important work.

[spdnik77]

you are all right-the answer is in unity--why do you think the hospitals are so afraid of a union? I knew one guy in Tulsa that literally got run out of town--the nurses are beat down--the union that one guy almost got going--some of the nurses took bribes to vote against it-i was ashamed of my fellow nurses--i gave up and decided to get my masters and try to work for myself