Got a note from the health reporter at the newspaper......

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

She asked for feedback about the nursing shortage. I told her about what I knew, but that my experience was pretty limited since I have been out of work.

Would any of you like to give her feedback? If so, I'll give her e-mail address here, but only if you are willing.

I did tell her that she needs to speak with REAL nurses and not the Ivory Tower type.

Thanks

P

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

C'mon NOBODY wants a chance at having their thoughts published? I'd love to see the local hospitals reaction to the truth.

P

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would be willing to give her some feedback...I've only been an RN for 5 months, but if she doesn't mind, neither do I!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Does the reporter want local or out of state nurses. Can hook them up with PSNA administrator re MOT survey and willing to speak re shortage fom my perspective in home health.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Do you think she would be interested in my thoughts?

A better question is, would you really want her to hear my thoughts?

Send her my way if the answer to both is YES.:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

Give her mine, if she's interested PRN.

With all due respect, to those who support the ANA with their blood and guts, I think the rest of nursing (ie; the majority) would like to start speaking for themselves instead of the ANA speaking for us.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

PRN...you are welcome to include me as a nurse willing to discuss the matter..

nurse4kids...i think that you are almost..right on the money about nurses solving the nusing problem...how would you accomplish that many nurses speaking up in a productive forum? :p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

4n6,

I'm not quite sure of the exact "how", yet. But, it is becoming more and more obvious by posts on this bb that the majority are not happy with the current mode of "communication" to the public. I think this bb is pretty powerful and will be the link through which we make our move.

Sooooooo, my answer..

I dunno..but I can keep praying, anyway ;)

tracy

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
With all due respect, to those who support the ANA with their blood and guts, I think the rest of nursing (ie; the majority) would like to start speaking for themselves instead of the ANA speaking for us.

I HOPE the majority will start speaking for themselves. As I see it, the problem has been with nurses not speaking up. Our lack of action, except to gripe among ourselves, has allowed healthcare administrators an open hand in dictating workplace conditions.

Our profession has been based on service to others, following physcians orders and performing jobs assigned to us. I see Nursing operating in a different light now due to us maturing into a seperate profession that can function somewhat autonomously. We are no longer restricited to bedside practice and can work independently in many areas. Previously we were dependent on private employers in the early days thru 1940's. Hospital's then became the domminate employer setting workplace rules. Our being a hand-maiden to the physician is passe. A Collaborate relationship is the mode today.

What has not occured is Nursing being included as a major player in decision making at the CEO level and in the hospital board rooms. In the the forseable future, NURSING expenses will always be the major cost factor in running a hospital. Patients are hospitalized for NURSING CARE with some physician intervention, but it is the 24hr NURSING ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION that is needed. Under nursing administration, We should be the ones determining how that care is provided and how staffing decisions are made.

Suddenly, the impact of HMO's and insurance companies with their mandate and incentives to lower healthcare costs (especially paperwork burden with prior authorization everything), has led to only the sickest acutely ill, most mobility restricted patients/clients to be hospitalized requiring intensive nursing care. Years ago these clients would have died but with modern medications needing careful monitoring/titrating to avoid interactions/side effects, the intensity of care is enourmous. AND you may have 3 different clients needing this type of care in the same hospital bed within an 8-12hr shift! No wonder bedside nurses are exhausted, no " walkie-talkie" patients to lighten the

load today. It's time nursing expense is itemized seperately, even if listed under room an board, to show our true worth.

SO EVERYONE PLEASE SPEAK UP!

Stepping down from my soapbox.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

OK if you are interested, then send me a PM and I'll reply with her address. OK?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My answer is "yes".........she can contact me. After thirty years in this business I have watched it go from bad to WORSE, and "worse" is now rushing toward disaster, like Lemmings into the sea!

"They", (whoever that might be)......can offer our profession all kinds of Olive Branch tokens for "fixing" this problem, but until WE - the ones on the front line - are HEARD in a way that kicks the root of the problem in it's greedy gonads, NOTHING is going to change!

Everywhere you look, health care institutions are inventing "creative" means for dealing with this critical issue, and in so doing, not only is patient safety put in further jeopardy, but so are WE, who work on our licenses. Case in point:

Longterm Care facilities in this area are now taking anyone off the street they can find, recruiting them as "Technical Medication Assistant".........they attend THREE DAYS OF CLASS, eight hours each day, to "study" medications. They then take a "test", and if they pass, come to the LTC facility and are hired as TMA's and do the same med pass I do for 40-60 residents!!!!!

And GUESS WHO is in Charge of this 24hr spin-dry "expert" who is passing medications...........you got it...........ME!!!!!

You cannot imagine what it feels like to go to work, be on the job, knowing someone on the other team is pouring meds into residents without an iota of education or experience about ASSESSING RESIDENTS, (i.e., should this cardiac drug, antibiotic, etc. etc. be given at all).........

It makes me so angry I could spit nails.............

Until we do something that is far more dramatic than "talk" and print articles in media press.........we as Professionals will one day wake up and be REPLACED by everybody's "creative" idea on how to "make up for the shortage."

I suggest a "Million-Nurse March on Washington DC".........or SOMEBODY's "DC" to get the attention of the people who are responsible for this shortage: GREEDY CORPORATE AMERICA, and the people who are at greatest risk as a result: THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO BECOME OUR PATIENTS.

You may be reading this and thinking........"Boy, is she over-reacting today." Well, have your thoughts, but I'm telling you, with thirty years behind me watching this evolve........that if you are working where this is NOT a problem.........guess what, - it's not "if" for you, it's "WHEN".........and the clock is ticking.

Venting my spleen today.......

Bonnie

Up Vote Up Vote ×

............and while I'm at it.............

I'm also SICK TO DEATH of the "caste system" we have in our Profession.

We have you and me, on the FRONT LINES, in THE TRENCHES, and BEARING THE BRUNT of this very serious problem.

WE are level #1.

Then we have: corporate level "Nurse" administrators, managers, and supervisors, who are level #2 and sit on their laurels inflicting further abuse upon us by demanding (mandatory overtime for example), or threatening ("if you don't stay you can kiss your job goodbye") and exist in their own little world of ping-pong "management" taking orders from above in order to save their own orifices and paychecks.

Level #3 consists of the over-educated, pontificating, seminar-holding "experts" in our field who have never even set foot inside of a health care institution as an "employee" for a nano-second, and march around with a dozen letters after their names trying to convince you and me that "this isn't so bad, settle down now, and come, let us reason together."

Level #4 consists of the rest in our profession who are so far removed from reality they should all be taking antipsychotics by the boat-load............our own ANA, Boards of Nursing, Professional Journal Editors and Staff, the NLN, our lofty State Nursing Associations, etc. etc.

Levels #2,3, and 4 SHOULD be the POWER behind our punch, but they are ALL "comfortable" right where they are.........so why should they make themselves "uncomfortable" for you and me, and God forbid..........for our patients that we serve day after day??

As I see it..........

Bonnie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment