Corporate "doesn't believe in" Nurses Week

[NurseyPoo7]

I know Nurses Week is officially over but I recently heard about a LTC facility who doesn't celebrate or even acknowledge nurses week (FYI, one of the owners of said facility is an MD). I have worked at multiple facilities, both LTC/ALF and acute care. All of those places celebrated nurses week and at least gave a small gift.

This seems very degrading and I could definitely see this contributing to low morale.

Has anyone else heard of this?

[Blackcat99]

My friend says they try to kill the night shift nurses every year for nurses week. They have a luncheon each year and then leave out all of the "leftovers" on the table all day for the night shift when they arrive for work. She said they don't eat it because they are worried about "food poisoning."

[amoLucia]

I actually find it rather demeaning to think that my employer feels the need to "celebrate" Nurse's Day/Week by giving me a $.35 trinket (be it water bottle, fanny pack or lunchbox).

My professional satisfaction comes from my successful practice as an RN and from the care I deliver to my patients, not in a fanny pack.

Sadly, THANK-YOUs only seem to come during Nursing Week and after passing State/JCAHO surveys. While a simple acknowledgement is appreciated, some more personalization & frequency would be welcomed.

And like other posters, I'm not interest in trinkets or pizza. I'd like to see an administrator just show up periodically on a floor to walk around and just say 'thank you' and 'nice job' to each staff member passing by. I'd be more impressed and appreciative. And you noticed, I didn't say to call one of those hokey mandatory staff meeting that drag all the staff off to the conference room!!!

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Wish that OP would come back and weigh in......

[NurseyPoo7]

I think my original post wasn't clear enough. I didn't mean they SHOULD get their employees the crappy gifts, but at least to say "hey it's nurses week. Thanks for all you do". This facility doesn't (and from what I hear -- never -- does that). I've also heard there are issues with employee paychecks, especially holiday time.

Didn't mean To get so many people angry at me and think I am shallow.

[RNJill]

Ehh, I'm pretty lukewarm about Nurses' Week. I overall am content about my work environment, have some wonderful coworkers, etc, so I don't particularly care about the fact my employer didn't do much to celebrate Nurses' Week. I agree that receiving a cheap trinket is actually demeaning and I would rather have the tuition reimbursement and good benefits that I have instead.

My unit actually put on our own Nurses' Week celebration of sorts and I think we celebrated ourselves well :-)

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I haven't seen Nurse's Week celebrated in years. My hospital didn't as much as say Boo, and my last hospital didn't either. I really don't care~ if I am not worth at least a "Happy Nurse's Week," then so be it. I have learned to not expect much, then I won't be disappointed.

[MatrixRn]

Nurses week at my employment is getting thinner each year. This long trudge of a recession is impacting all areas, including the celebration of nurses week.

This year I was not even aware it was nurses' week because the effort to make the nurses feel they contribute to the whole was displayed in such a minimal way. In years past at least there was a small gift or token of appreciation. But nothing this year.

H%^&, even an email saying thanks would have been nice.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

That "thank you" or recognition for meeting a difficult challenge at work should be delivered on a regular basis when it's earnednot once a year. We don't celebrate Nurse's week either,we celebrate "Nursing Home Week" where we nurse's are invited to make orifices of ourselves in games and talent shows for the resident's amusement.[/quote']

That would be nice, however it doesn't happen with our admin. We didn't recognize nurses week this year, but Lab Professionals was treated like a national holiday.. Now that has me p*ssed.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

The nicest Nurses' Week acknowledgement I've was when the nursing administration brought in lunch for the staff and delivered to the units. They did it on night AND day shift. It was a real shot in the arm to see all those daytime suits coming out at 2am with smiles and thanks for everyone. Later I got on the supervisory staff at that hospital and they had a budget of about a buck a nurse for the day. So that covered the paper plates and drinks, almost. It doesn't take money to make a morale boost. When the same hospital added a small gift there was always someone complaining frequently and loudly that it was useless garbage.

[Ellekat2]

Same here. We didn't get so much as a "Happy Nurses' Day", but the Lab and Radiology people were well-recognized. Obviously, we need to bill for nursing services! Maybe the Housekeepers (who I don't think are EVER recognized and are treated poorly here) should bill, too!

[monkeybug]

I think my original post wasn't clear enough. I didn't mean they SHOULD get their employees the crappy gifts, but at least to say "hey it's nurses week. Thanks for all you do". This facility doesn't (and from what I hear -- never -- does that). I've also heard there are issues with employee paychecks, especially holiday time.

Didn't mean To get so many people angry at me and think I am shallow.

I don't think you are shallow at all. I think I get what you're saying. Their general attitude towards the nurses is highlighted by their refusing to aknowledge Nurses Week.

[Tina, RN]

I agree with canoehead: It doesn't take money to make a morale boost.

Popping your head into my office and saying, "Hey! Happy Nurse's Day!" would have been good enough for me. No, it won't make anyone treat me better or change any of my gripes. But, the acknowledgement still would have been nice... Especially considering that everyone made a big deal out of Administrative Assistant Day, Teacher's Week, and are now taking up a collection to celebrate a PTA Appreciation breakfast...