[Kaetlyn]

I've worked at the same hospital for the last 20 years. I've never been as unhappy with my job as I have been for the last year or two. Our hospital has developed a staffing matrix that a lot of the staff nurses think is not only unfair, but unsafe. We have been told flat out..."If you don't like it, then leave". We're talking about nurses that have given their entire life's career to this hospital, that now have no voice or ability to air their frustrations, for fear of being labeled as a "negative" person that's only trying to stir up trouble. Things have come up as simple as referring to our unit clerk as a "clerk", as in asking a co-worker to check with the "clerk" about ordering something....instead of referring to the clerk only by her first name because we've been told the unit clerk sees this as being disrespectful to her for her to be referred to as "the clerk"

Staff nurses are continually taking turns getting called off for no work, then getting put "on call" for the entirety of their 12 hour shifts due to low census, with no on-call pay. We've worked under these conditions for at least 2 years, and everyone has been very patient with low census conditions, but now with the tightening of staffing even further, and the threat being put to us to either like it or go elsewhere to work, and not able to speak a word about our "not" liking things the way they're going...has increased the stress level through the nursing staff.

Any thoughts about this...or suggestions on how to handle the increased stress this has brought to our jobs and our lives would be greatly appreciated. We just feel that we're totally unappreciated as licensed professionals at this point. Many of us long-time employees either have left already, or are seriously considering it when our only thoughts used to be retiring from a hospital and career that we were proud of.

Thank you for a venue to vent that doesn't threaten my job...


Kaetlyn RN

[bethin]

Leave and find the respect elsewhere.

I'm sure another hospital would love to have someone with your experience.

[Kaetlyn]

See...that's just it. My hospital is a medium-sized, small-town hospital in a town where people's entire lives revolve. It's not like they have to worry about nurses moving around to other local hospitals, without a lot of inconvenience and much time spent on the road to travel long distances to be able to work at other hospitals. Also, they have 2 nursing schools in the town that serve to provide them with plenty of staff, so do you see the dilemma? They can afford to do whatever they want with the staff they have, such as give out ultimatums like "like it or leave". I've lived 5 min away from my job for many years...and the thought of not only starting over at a totally new hospital, but a drive of minimum 90min to 2 hours each way to work at a different facility is pretty difficult to think about. I love my work...I love my patients...I love the field of oncology nursing. I just think the nurses should be able to have a voice....and for someone to not only listen....but to actually "hear" us

Kaetlyn RN

[deeDawntee]

Get a Union.

[bethin]

Ditto dee.

If as many people as you say are unhappy, consider getting a union. You cannot be reprimanded or fired for talking about a union on the clock.

[fizz2Nurse]

Sounds an awful lot like CRMC

[mer_RN]

OMG, for a second i was sure we worked at the same place! i would consider leaving, maybe doing something outside of the hospital-school nursing, health dept, something like that, you certainly have the experience to do it. but seriously, administration doesn't care what we think, the bottom line is they will save a dollar at the expense of every employee in the system!

[brissie]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I have found more and more that the bottom line is always money.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by bethin

Ditto dee.

If as many people as you say are unhappy, consider getting a union. You cannot be reprimanded or fired for talking about a union on the clock.

I wouldn't bet on that. I've seen it happen many times, even to those who did so away from work.

I also have to stop and wonder about the advice to work somewhere else. Yeah, I've thought that too when I read what some are going through, but why should someone with that many years invested have to be the one to leave? Why should SHE turn HER live upside down because her employer is an ass?

I was forced to do so when faced with similar circumstances. I loved my patients, the docs, the staff... but I could no longer tolerate the administration. They made our lives a living hell. For my own well-being (mental and physical), I had to leave. And that really ticks me off. All that does is allow them to get away with their abuse. They don't care about the turnover. As long as there are warm bodies making $$$ for the hospital, treating the staff right is the last thing on their minds.

So we get fed up and leave. And nothing ever changes.

Dammit, that shouldn't be our only choice.

[lindarn]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Goldstein

I wouldn't bet on that. I've seen it happen many times, even to those who did so away from work.

I also have to stop and wonder about the advice to work somewhere else. Yeah, I've thought that too when I read what some are going through, but why should someone with that many years invested have to be the one to leave? Why should SHE turn HER live upside down because her employer is an ass?

I was forced to do so when faced with similar circumstances. I loved my patients, the docs, the staff... but I could no longer tolerate the administration. They made our lives a living hell. For my own well-being (mental and physical), I had to leave. And that really ticks me off. All that does is allow them to get away with their abuse. They don't care about the turnover. As long as there are warm bodies making $$$ for the hospital, treating the staff right is the last thing on their minds.

So we get fed up and leave. And nothing ever changes.

Dammit, that shouldn't be our only choice.

High nursing/staff turnover, prevents the staff from organizing. Not enought staff available to put forth the effort to effectively gain enough power/cohesiveness to mount an effective union organizing drive. It is part of the "plan".

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington