[Repat]

Okay, all you hospital department educators. We understand that JCAHO regulations require certain staff development days, and you all understand what an imposition many of feel having to arrange to work completely different hours than we are normally scheduled for. So, my question is, if you are required to provide 8 hours a year of education to your staff, and your staff work days, evenings, nights and weekends, why are staff development days scheduled from 9-5, times that almost NO ONE works in the hospital?? Why can't the days be 7-3, or 3-11, or even 11-7 on a rotation so that no one has to find other baby sitting arrangements? How about those orientations?? Two weeks of rearranging, often split up so that it drags on over a month. It is not easy just to "find other arrangements" for your kids!! Many times those of us who work evenings or nights end up have to work doubles, because we are expected to work our shift even though we have had to accommodate the educators and be educated when they work? Are there any enlightened work places that understand that if you sign up to work days, evenings, nights, or weekends it is because that is when you are available to work? Help!!

[traumaRUs]

Our housewide education program just went online - makes it very easy!

[Repat]

What a fabulous idea!! I asked if they could just leave the tests in my mailbox, to be done at my leisure, and she said "Oh no, we can't give out the tests." Like they are top secret. As I see it, we as employees are helping the hospital to maintain their accreditation. It has nothing to do with our licenses, so they really should make it at our convenience. I have done, in the last year, two weeks of orientation, two weeks of critical care classes, 16 hours of departmental education days, and now, because I have moved to a new hospital (same company, same department), they want me to do it all over again. I think that I am willing, at this point, to make a big deal about this. If they want to lose someone who has had that much training over making it easier for me or for them, then so be it. I am so sick of paying baby sitters more than I have made, after taxes, to attend these days. I guess what really set me off is when she said "can't your husband come home early one day?". For one, how does she know I have a husband? And, whose job is this? It isn't his! I can just see him explaining to his boss that he needs time off to help my employer stay in business! What do unionized places do about these issues?

[BBFRN]

Repat- Come on over to my hospital. We have online education, too.

[purplemania]

Our Ed dept is open 8-5, but the Educators work a variety of shifts to accommodate the staff. However, most of our Education is done online. The Educators do in-services on new equipment or policies at all times day/night. The reason they "normally" work days is to be around the people who make decisions or people with whom they need to interact. I worked nights many years and understand your dilemma. As for unions, they cannot force a hospital to change policies, only benefits.

[traumaRUs]

Repat - what about proposing online education?? Also - very off-topic but aren't you enrolled at University of Phoenix for the BSN completion? How's it going?

[Repat]

Hey, trauma! I am on-line with Saint Louis University for my MSN, and I love it. I would love to propose an on-line eduction for our company. After speaking to the educator at our hospital, I think I have gotten in the middle of a "turf war". She mentioned that the corporation that has bought these hospitals is trying to rationalize the education. When I mentioned that the last hospital allowed us to do the education, and take the tests, in our own time, she replied "well, maybe they do that there, but we don't". She also made a bit of a smug remark about the other educator. So, I think others may be struggling to preserve their own little kingdoms! But I am struggling as well to preserve my sanity - part-time means part-time, don't you think?

[Repat]

And, lgflamini, I'd be there in a sec if it was drivable!!!

[traumaRUs]

Repat - that is soo cool..do you like University of St. Louis? How long does it take? Whats' the MSN in? I'm with University of Phoenix in the MSN (management and leadership) program. Its 20 months but I'm going to try to do it in 15-16 becuause I'm really getting burned out on school...judi

[Repat]

I started in the fall, and will finish in December, 2005. I am doing the Adult NP track. I absolutely love the on-line format (I just finished this week's lecture). The hardest thing about it has been finding clinical preceptors. It is still something that keeps me awake at night, although I am sorted out for the next semester. I am getting burned out, too, but it has made me think about slowing down, not speeding up!! Actually, I really want to finish that December, so I will stick to my plans.