Oversaturation? Why am I working short staffed?

[Pudnluv]

I keep reading posts of nurses unable to find jobs. I"ve been an RN for 18 years and I don't think in all my 18 years, I have ever been on a unit that is adequately staffed. I don't believe the problem is oversaturation of nurses. I believe the problem lies in administrations that don't want to shell out the money to properly staff their facilities. For every new nurse out there that is complaining that he/she can't find a job, there are 3 working nurses complaining of understaffing and ridiculous work loads. The poor economy is also partially to blame. We accept poor working conditions because we are afraid to be out of work. We set the bar low and then complain in the coffee break room. (Ha! that was funny. Has anyone ever even seen their break room?) Does anyone out there feel the same? Does anyone buy the "oversaturation of nurses"? I don't believe it. I believe as a profession, we need to set the bar higher, make our voices heard and demand better and safer staffing. Lord knows, there are enough of us out there.

[CrossCountryRN2008]

It is both oversaturation and greed in the administration of hospitals. It is all business and money to them so they screw the patients and employees

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

My local hospital is chronically understaffed, yet they will only hire nurses with 3-5 years of experience in the unit they're applying for. The vast majority of their openings are per diem. They'd rather hire travelers than permanent staff.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

well, didn't Hillary Clinton say when Bill had surgery that all the nurses do is give meds and are overpaid? She was also the same one who pushed Obama into a healthcare plan which cuts reimbursements so low that the "overpaid med-pushers" are eliminated by budget constraints. You get what you pay for. Of course, they will always be treated as VIP's so will never understand our plight.

Actually, here are some REAL HC quotations.... doesn't sound as though she is not a champion for nursing.

"Your voices matter so much...nurses are on the frontlines of health care. You see what happens when health care decisions are made not on the basis of what's good for patients but on what's good for the bottom line." (1997)

"I want to speak up for ... for women who are working all night as nurses, ... so that they can be at home during the day with their kids; (1995)

"I have met doctors and nurses in Belarus and Ukraine who are trying to keep children alive in the aftermath of Chernobyl." (1995)

"it's absolutely clear if we are talking about evidence that the Institute of Medicine has found a direct correlation between nurse to patient ratios and quality care. And because I know how important nurses are to the quality of care that patients receive, " (2006)

Even some minor googling will provide accurate information about the history of declining health care reimbursement in the US. Many of us remember the predictions of disaster when the PPS was introduced in 1983. Each succeeding attempt at reining in the costs has just compounded the problem. I know that it is always popular rhetoric, but - the current healthcare situation in the US is the result of a long history of complex and multi-factorial events, not the result of a single evil-doer.

To quote Pogo - "we has met the enemy and he is us"

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Hey HouTx. Thanks for the post.

Do wanna give everyone a chance to chime in. Hillary has been proven to have outright lied straight into the TV previously... with the obvious intention of making herself look good.

Would like to hear from the original poster of the negative comments... or anyone else with additional info... hopefully with a reference or cite to statements made in this thread.

Thanks all!

[DidiRN]

MODERATOR NOTE: Please stay on topic and not debate what a politician says. Thanks :)

[NightNurseRN13]

As a new nurse I also had trouble finding a job, but as someone from HR explained it to me is that there could be 5 positions open on a floor, but they can't fill all 5 positions with new nurses otherwise they would have a bunch of "babies" running around.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

Good point, Nightnurse13. You also need to have enough highly experienced nurses to orient the new nurses. Something really needs to be done about this.

[Crowgirl44]

I have been an RN for over 20 years-I've worn some different hats, but have been in home health for the last 5 years. Since I'm prn, I have a few perks, like choosing when not to take patients, but because of my current needs, I have worked as much as 70 hours in a week. We do not get paid by the hour, btw, so no overtime pay. I am the senior RN in the field in my office. Only one LPN has been there longer. There is one supervisor in the office that has been there the same amount of time as myself. Let me tell ya-I have seen 20 nurses come and go, 4 supervisors, 4 schedulers, 2 big wig office people. It is a revolving door! Eat your young? ABSOLUTELY...backstabbing, throwing each other under the bus, always short staffed, no raises, no bonuses, no incentives. Patient care has been pushed underneath the rug, all about money money money, but don't EVER make a mistake, you will be crucified. "Do more with less" has become the new reality. Every new grad comes out thinking they are going to be the boss, they all live in some sort of altered reality. We need more Indians and less chiefs. Am I disenchanted? You bet.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

I worked a post OHS unit on nights. We would have nights with over 100 years experience. You know what administration did? Made it intolerable. We had 1 CNA for 30 patients, some nights there were none. Nurse ratios were fine, but no techs meant a horrible night. The SNF I am currently at is well staffed, but don't ask my coworkers. We have at most 21 on 11-7. It is not bad and most mornings everyone gets out on time. Sometimes I think it is warranted to complain, but after 3 decades in this I see a subculture of Chicken Littles who would complain no matter what, not saying that is you, but they seem to be the queens of the floors and set the tone for the whole unit.