Nursing Week B.S.

Stargazer · Mar 25, 2003

Gosh, I am so thirsty all of a sudden! :eek: Anyone wanna join me in the CyberBar?

Disablednurse · Mar 25, 2003

Where I worked, they had a nurses week, a CNA week, etc for each dept and each was celebrated.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2003

Originally posted by adrienurse
So anyway, I attended a staff council meeting where we discussed plans for Nursing Week which is coming up in May. So basically it was said that unless we nurses are willing plan and organize the event, nothing will be done this year. Oh yeah and they're trying to make the event include all "nursing staff" (housekeeping, aides, clerical staff). Is it just me (being, gasp, eletist) or is there something wrong with this?

Kind of reminds me of when I was personnel manager for a supply company, and got named Employee of the Month. Nobody could be bothered to get the plaque engraved so they sent me to do it. Let's honor these employees and have them do all the work too.

Also, wonder how "housekeeping, diet aides and clerical staff" rate in the Gallup poll for trust and honesty.

Anaclaire · Mar 25, 2003

originally posted by adrienurse
is it just me (being, gasp, eletist) or is there something wrong with this?

there is someting wrong with this.

:rolleyes:

Ortho_RN · Mar 25, 2003

If each area has their own week, then it should just be nurses... But honestly I think Aides are part of the nursing staff, so they should be included... Now as far as Housekeepers and Dietary, that is just blah.... I think at the hospital I am working at housekeeping and dietary do have their own week, but the Aides are included in the Nurses Week stuff.... And none of the nurses have a problem with it.. They realize that the Aides do help make things easier... (If they are a good aide)

sjoe · Mar 25, 2003

Your facility is giving all its nurses very clear feedback on what it thinks of you.

If you are the kind of person that NEEDS to have appreciation shown by an employer, take this lesson seriously as you polish up your resume.

The handwriting is on the wall.

ShelleyERgirl, LPN · Mar 25, 2003

Originally posted by Stargazer
Gosh, I am so thirsty all of a sudden! Anyone wanna join me in the CyberBar?

:devil:

Yes please!! One Tall Long Island Iced Tea, double tequila, thanks stargazer! Btw, karoke too?

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2003

I was in the elevator the other day and noticed a new posted bulletin advertising our facility's "Celebrate MD's Day" or whatever they call it. It was cordially inviting all physicians to the conference room for a catered lunch and gift bag. For "Nurse's Week" we got a travel alarm clock (that stopped telling time after about a week and was of the absolute shoddiest quality EVER) and day shift got a free lunch in the cafeteria (and the food is of the shoddiest quality EVER; furthermore, the cafeteria closes at six, so night shift got nothing) as well as a free popsicle (none for night shift), free bag of popcorn (ditto), and a free hot dog (umm...need I keep repeating that night shift got nada, or are you getting the picture here?), all on a different day of the week. As a concession to night nurses, who, as you all know, don't do a lick of work and wouldn't get up from their crocheting to save their own mother's life, they brought up a dozen donuts to each unit on the Tuesday of that week. Our unit alone has sixteen nurses, four respiratory therapists, two cna's, and one housekeeper (I'm getting to that in a second...). 23 people, 12 donuts. Hoo-boy. Secondly, though they called it "Nurse's Week", they also included ALL ancillary staff, housekeeping, the guy who stands on the corner panhandling...basically everyone who isn't a doctor or a secretary. (For Secretary's Day, they also got a catered lunch and flowers for each unit.) There was some bickering amongst various staff members because some nurses felt that our CNA's, (who, incidentally, on our unit do nothing but hide in the break room and conveniently disappear at crucial times, at the smallest request, and manage to stretch cleaning one isolette into a twelve-hour job- with one shining exception, who works harder than some of the nurses...but I digress...) were not nurses and should not be referring to themselves as so (as decreed by our state nurse practice acts). They were head to head with the CNA's, who felt slighted and apparently felt they could call themselves whatever the heck they wanted (and I am only referring to those CNA's who felt this way and expressed themselves out loud, not every single one of them.) Well. I've reconsidered what I was originally going to write, and leave it at this:

1) What would the doctors do if we lumped THEM in with the rest of the hospital and offered them a free hot dog and a box of stale donuts?

2) National Nursing Assistant's Day/Week is in June.

Adding just one last thing at this time:

A co-worker of mine had a birthday during the first week of February. She received a card "from the CEO" offering her a free meal in the cafeteria during the month of February. She got it two days ago. She assumed it would still be good, since it was not her fault that it arrived late to her (the administrative 'gopher' hand delivered it to her mailbox on the 22nd of March). She went to the cafeteria, attempted to get breakfast, and was told that it was expired. When she explained the situation, she was told very rudely that they couldn't do anything about it and she'd have to wait until next year, as they only will write one (to avoid fraudulent use of the cafeteria, for sure) per person per year, PERIOD.

On a slightly related track, my car (along with other nurses') got vandalized THREE seperate times. I called security and was told curtly that they couldn't be everywhere at once. On the last occasion, my tires were slashed. I called security for help and was told that it wasn't their job to change tires, and I should have invested in AAA. Another co-worker's car was stolen and she was told, upon reporting it, that the parking lot was not considered 'secure', and the sign mentioning that it was 'guarded by rounding security officers' was a 'courtesy' and not a guarantee. About a month after my tires were slashed, a doctor (a resident) called security to report that her tires had also been slashed. TWO security officers "rushed outside to assist her in her time of need" and changed her tires for her "happily and enthusiastically". This report, unlike so many others similar to mine, was PROUDLY reported in our bi-weekly newsletter.

I think that about sums it up.

SharonH, RN · Mar 25, 2003

Sheesh. To borrow from altomga, what a crock of shyt. Are you guys going to hold firm and demand that you get your own separate week from the other hospital staff. Dietary, housekeeping, etc. are not nursing and you have a right to make that clear.

obillyboy · Mar 25, 2003

OK folks lets face it..................

We will always be great ,but not till we all stand and use one voice will we be heard .

No more cheap pens and alarm cloccks or some bounce bal with a light and noise maker..

Let's let them know we are GREAT lets all celebrate by doing something for each other......????? Any Ideas????:roll

MandyInMS · Mar 25, 2003

Hmmm.....Sounds like Nurse's Week is a crock everywhere..thought it was just our hospital that was so dayum cheap.Ours does have a cook-out about mid-week, but it's like from 11a-1p..I work nights..Like I'm gonna wake up for a weiner & sum beans? lmao..yeah right. They also have 'fun activities' (also during the day only)...the Nurses never have TIME to attend any of the events,ect. because guess what ? they are all WORKING...go figure...Sooooo Nurses Week @ our hospital seems to be for all staff EXCEPT nurses...what a hoot huh ? bleh...makes me mad just thinking about it so I'll hush now

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 25, 2003

sjoe sums it up. I personally don't look to the hospital or dr's or anyone else outside myself in order to see my intrinsic value as a nurse. I do what I do for selfish reasons mainly. I won't lie: I like the flexibility...the way I can build my schedule around my life--- not the other way around. The pay is not bad here where I live. I like the type nursing I do (OB) and take lots of satisfaction from that. If I get a cheapo pen or mug each May from the hospital to celebrate my value as a nurse, so be it. If I get nothing, so be it. I don' t care. Really.

One thing I will tell ya: I don't let them use me up and spit me out....I make it work for me and my family life. If you want to make something great out of National Nurses' Week where you work, I say that is GREAT! However, You will have to get proactive and help make it happen (sadly)...or do like me and just take what you can from the situation and live your life. Sorry if this upsets anyone but I have ceased to waste my time getting upset over stuff like this anymore......too much going on in my life anymore to let stuff like this get me to boiling point.