Be honest: do you feel valued by your employer?

[sunnyskies9]

Every company I have worked for since becoming an RN has made few to zero effort(s) to make their employees feel valued. I only have 5 years experience. Is this really what I have to look forward to for the rest of my 40+ year career? Are there any companies out there that still maintain their integrity? All I can say is thank God for outstanding coworkers.

[RNrhythm, BSN, RN]

Nope. My facility has notorious turnover and we are often short-staffed because of it.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

I work.They pay me. Transaction over.

[Davey Do]

I work.They pay me. Transaction over.

[Avid reader]

Hospital systems are generally for profit, so upper management whose pay is generally tied to performance, utilizes Bean counters. I've sat on boards and almost every conversation is about optimization. Even other medical professionals who are generally Drs, are profit motivated. Have to pay for the next Jaguar! Bringing in cutting edge technologies or surgeons etc costs money and other fellow nurses who are in upper management almost always seem intimidated. More male nurses are needed in nursing upper management because they are usually better at standing up, however the advent of only taking nurses with advanced degrees seriously, is a major problem for us. I noticed that men speak up regardless of qualifications or status at board meetings. Men measure status differently it seems and an intelligent, experienced man could really help our cause. That's what they're there for, to screw in lightbulbs:saint:!

[Aunt Slappy]

Nope, which is why I put in my two weeks yesterday. My direct supervisor certainly didn't evince any regret over losing me, either.

I agree that loyalty to employers is a thing of the past and utterly foolish these days. They have no loyalty to me, and if it served their interests, would terminate me instantly, no matter how many years I've worked for them. And yet they'd consider themselves treated unfairly if I didn't give two weeks' notice, which I only do because it's universally considered a matter of courtesy, and to keep from burning bridges unnecessarily.

I do what serves me and my family best, period.

[amt838]

As an RN BSN CEN for over 40 years I have seen the decline in respect in nursing over the years.There was a short period in the late nineties that nursing had a surge in pay and respect,But since we are almost back where we started.The only things that are missing are giving my chair up for a Physician and smoking on the units.

Nursing has come back to being able to cover medication,unit clerk activities,unsafe staffing all in a days work.I work for the Commonwealth which makes things even worse.They still do mandatory OT despite it being against the law.They cut our staffing,The emptied out the local state prison hospital,murders many anti-socials,sexual offenders.No extra staff or correction officers were provided.

To shorten this hundreds , yes hundreds of staff were injured within the first two years of this facility opening.

Staff was choked,3 patients committed suicide.Staff had limbs broken.Sometimes patients saved staff.

Now in its fourth years,despite union ,elected official,staff,state police complaints the hospital continues status quo.Now those experienced nurses in my age group are the ones out on workmen's Comp.No new staff will stay with the conditions.Do you agree they don't care about us?

I was assaulted with LOC on Aug 3 2015 determined by the court to be disabled (40% work man's comp and 60% violence ) I still have not seen it yet.They immediately filed an appeal.Meanwhile I have severe PTSD and am paying out of pocket using savings,cashing in what I can.They care about us?

[Aunt Slappy]

nurses who are in upper management almost always seem intimidated. More male nurses are needed in nursing upper management because they are usually better at standing up, however the advent of only taking nurses with advanced degrees seriously, is a major problem for us. I noticed that men speak up regardless of qualifications or status at board meetings. Men measure status differently it seems and an intelligent, experienced man could really help our cause.

JFC will you all stop with the poor downtrodden woman crap?!

I don't care what your profession is, just grow a backbone or go the frock home. Applies to both genders. All this "we need more men" stuff...... look, I think more men should join nursing because they want to and to improve the diversity of the profession, not so they can be knights in shining armor riding to the rescue of the poor weak females. Stand up for yourself or shut up.

[Avid reader]

Aunt Slappy

I like knights!!

[BSN16]

Absolutely not. I am very good about picking up extra shifts, switching with other co-workers, and coming in if asked. I was never rewarded or even given a simple thank you. However, i had one occurrence where i had signed up extra and had something come up. Management was very unaccommodating about the situation.

Also, despite picking up 30+ hours of extra on my own terms i was still required to pick up our "mandatory" extra shifts. Lets just say i don't pick up any extra anymore, unless required.

Situations like this show why staffing is so bad and why we easily lose staff.

[compassionresearcher]

It's rare that an employer, i.e. a large health center, would make employees feel valued. No matter the industry, they're in it to make money and if they have stockholders that is who they worry about making feel valued. However, immediate supervisors, managers, directors can make their team feel appreciated. I'm fortunate to have an amazing boss who is great at making the team feel loved and inspires teamwork. I've only had two or three bosses like that in 20 years.

[AliNajaCat]

I am self-employed, and I like me jus' fine so long as I don' slack off. Much.

What really makes me feel valued and appreciated is looking at my bank balance q month and getting new referrals from former and current clients.

[djh123]

Yes and no (re: being valued). They sure aren't giving me (or anyone else there) any big raises for all of my hard work, that's for sure.