On sabbatical?

[abrenrn]

I find myself on sabbatical from nursing because:

My license tells me that the patient comes first.

Employers tell me, no, we come first.

Physicians often tell me, we come first.

I can only put one thing first at a time.

Is anyone interested in a grass roots organization? An organization of nurses and other interested parties that tell the truth about health care: it's about the money and egoes, not the patient.

Does anyone know how to go about it? I'm serious. I'm a lousy manager. It would have to be grassroots because so much of the media is caught up, financially via advertising, with the health care players. Also, they don't seem to find nurses interesting.

I suggest The National Organizations of Nurses on Sabbatical, The "NONOS"; who say NO to -

Mediocrity, incompetence, dollars over patients;

Physicians handmaiden (not in my license)

Hospital gofer

We say YES to:

Professional role of nurses

Patients first

Respect for the professional nursing role.

Anyway, something like that. We could start with bumper stickers, small ads in papers.

Anyone interested?? Have ideas?

[Youda]

I'm on sabbatical because my job "sucked the life out of me" (a good description of how I've felt, quoting Mattsmon from another thread). It wasn't nursing that did me in, it was the corporation and the realization that I could not be a good nurse and a good employee at the same time. My ethics and morals were in direct opposition to my need to get a paycheck. I know, like Anne, that this experience is not unique. In fact, I suspect it's quite common! I'm one of those 500,000 nurses who refuse to do bedside nursing anymore until some of the problems are fixed.

[mattsmom81]

I only worked 6 weeks in 2002 as a nurse...due to health problems and inability to do the physical work I had a very long sabbatical... wish I'd felt better at the time as pain and depression dominated that period of time in my life..

I recently tried teaching and found the same disrespect for nurses and the 'push push push' to overextend as the facilities...I was amazed and disappointed. Why can't nurses say NO without being punished??

I finally resigned, unwilling to subject myself to this pressure to work OT or be punished for 'not complying'. I haven't been feeling 100% in all honesty...so part of the problem lies with my unwillingness to 'play the game' with administrators, I know.

But I'm weary of playing games.

Seriously considering some agency work on a VERY part time basis just to make a few extra bucks....(I am fortunate my hubby makes a good living so i don't have to worry about income TOO much).BUT...but I don't EVER want to be a fulltimer on a facility staff again...I found it akin to slave labor and destructive to my soul.

In these testamonies here lies the crux of the 'nursing shortage'.

Great thread!!:)

[abrenrn]

Can someone come up with a bumper sticker design or something? I'm talking about trying a very basic, everyone who cares just tell a few other people.

From reading other stuff, something like this happened in one hospital in NJ. But, I think it has become too common and nobody knows about it.

I'm very unhappy with nursing though I love being a nurse. My one voice is not enough. I know we have the ANA but they have many priorities. I have just one.

Make the health care delivery system safe for nurses. Then it will be safe for patients.

If you care about patients, take care of nurses.

Serious here. Anyone want to join me? Two voices can say more than one; a hundred more than two; ...

Anyone know how to go about it?

I know there are activism threads. I'll check them out. I have. None seems simple enough or widespread enough.

The message needs to be: nurses are educated professionals who care about patients. Without us, the system cannot.

I've put it the same way. It's the same message.

I am a nurse. I'd like to be able to work as one.

[abrenrn]

Anyone interested: send me a PM. If you include your email address, I'll try to set up a list or something. I'm not that good at email and having some problems with my computer.

So, simple solution. All interested, PM me. We'll work on things just one step at at time.

[sjoe]

I HIGHLY recommend it and I do it as often as possible. The secret for me has been living as simply as possible (both while working and while on sabbatical). THAT is what determines how long, and how frequent, the sabbatical can be.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I just a posted an idea on a thread. https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27383

See if that is what you are looking for

[abrenrn]

I read canoeheads idea: everyone wear nursing caps to work on National Nurses Day - maybe all week. Caps are outdated but, as canoehead said, they were an outward sign of who we were, what we knew.

So, perhaps all nurses, even those who are on sabbatical, should try to find a cap to wear that day/ week - wherever you are, whatever you are doing. People will ask, huh?, why? and you will tell them.

All politics is local. If the media won't report the problems, we must let people know, with all of our voices.

As canoehead said, the caps are nonviolent, they celebrate our heritage.

I kind of like noviolent celebrations.

[beech]

i like your statement "if you care about patients, take care of nurses" as a bumper sticker

[Youda]

Everyone agrees there is a huge problem.

Most nurses are willing to help.

Not to bash the ANA, but even with state and national organizations, change isn't happening. I agree the need for changes must go to the general public, because fighting politically through Congress isn't getting it done. Changes needed to be made last decade, and we're still fighting about unsafe mandatory OT! (And -jt, before you say anything, please remember that most nurses don't have a union!)

Yes, a grass roots effort seems to be necessary and about the only real chance to make changes.

[abrenrn]

So, lets start.

Anyone know how to make bumper stickers with their computers? Let me know, I'll send you a sase (I think it means self addresses stamp envelope) so you can send it to me.

Or, post how to do it. Then we can all start. If people ask us what we mean, we just tell them.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Sabbatical hmmmmm.

Three years one month and 14 days since I worked. On the "job" injury led to total disability.