Retention issues

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

Well, we're still cleaning up from Hurricane Lili. The debacle over not getting 24 hour pay has not been resolved, although it has been reported to the state Labor Board. Today I opened the newspaper and saw that many businesses were thanking their employees who worked before/during/after the hurricane. You know, banks, newspaper carriers, the power companies.

Then I saw that two hospitals in town (private, for-profits owned by a very big chain) had ads listing each employee by name who worked before/during/after the hurricane and THANKING them for their contribution and sacrifice.

I thought it was wonderful. So I kept looking...seems "my" hospital did not have such an ad...but they did have an ad in the classifieds for a recruitment coffee & dessert at a local "chi-chi" restaurant this week.

I guess they're looking for new nurses to replace all those who will quit over not being paid!!

They just don't get it. Nurses are leaving the bedside in droves. My mom left the bedside in 1986 and swore she'd go on welfare before working in a hospital again. I see the insanity every day and wonder why we put up with it, for no more money than we make.

I keep trying to come up with a number; an amount of money that makes it worth putting up with the BS. And I haven't stumbled upon it yet.

I love what I do. Can't see myself doing anything else. But why can't management see that if they don't work on RETENTION, eventually they will have NO WORK FORCE.

[Youda]

I have spent a few hours this weekend reading the financial statements and investor information for many of the major healthcare corporations across the nation. These are documents written to stockholders and potential investors.

Almost without fail they are stating an increase in profits and quarterly dividend checks due to "cost cutting measures."

These scumbags are not interested in retention. If you can get your mind around that, you'll understand that they don't care if you leave, they don't care about the quality of care, and most have huge accounts set-up to the tune of half-a-billion dollars/year to deal with lawsuits and fines levied against them for not meeting regulations.

Nothing will change until the national and/or state laws change to prevent these sociopaths from feeding off the flesh of their patients and nursing staff.

[sjoe]

Youda--exactly right. all this business about "how can we get the suits to see how valuable we are?" (which is just another way of saying "How can we get them to like us?") is usually a complete waste of time and completely misses the point.

And the point?

POWER, and power alone.

[JAYNE DANCE]

DITTO

[shannonRN, BSN, RN]

whenever i complain about this to my man, he simply replies..."you are always worth more to another company than you are to your own." sad but true.

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

The only way the suits will see the value of the nurses is if they are admitted as patients in a facility where they are not known and have to wait for pain medication, they will see things differently if they are the one laying in the bed waiting for a nurse. Of course if they make it know who they are they will probably be put in a VIP suite, oh the injustice ARRRRRRRRRRRRG

[Youda]

Originally posted by sjoe

Youda--exactly right. all this business about "how can we get the suits to see how valuable we are?" (which is just another way of saying "How can we get them to like us?") is usually a complete waste of time and completely misses the point.

And the point?

POWER, and power alone.

-------> Youda stepping onto her soapbox.

Nurses MUST start understanding that these corporations have huge, huge "liability accounts." What this means is that they expect, and plan, to be sued and fined by regulatory agencies (JHACO, and DOA's).

The corporations have managed to legislate caps on lawsuits. So, they know just how much they are going to have to pay out in lawsuits each year. So, lawsuits and fines HAVE NO EFFECT on their PROFITS.

Nurses MUST start to understand that they DO NOT CARE about your burn-out, if patients die, your staffing ratios, the patient care, and your lack of sufficient supplies and equipment. They are NOT going to give you more wages, benefits, time off, or staff. They aren't going to do it BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED TO.

There is no competition, because every corporation is run the same identical way. So, the hospital on the other side of town, or the LTC down the street, WILL HAVE THE EXACT SAME PRACTICES AND PHILOSOPHY.

The ONLY way this is ever going to change is to change the LAWS that protect them. And the ONLY way that's going to happen is by aggressive lobbying BY NURSES and significant contributions to polititians, because that's what the corporations are doing, and that's how they get laws to protect themselves from this!!! Your whinning, care, love of your patients, your advocacy, MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

They understand, exactly, what you're saying about patient care. That's why they have the huge "liability accounts." They KNOW they are substandard, and they DO NOT CARE! They just stockpile money so they can pay their way out of it. When you start to understand that, then you can start o understand the problems of nurses!

Join your state nurse's association. You MUST. If you don't agree with the ANA's policies, then JOIN anyway. Because this is the ONLY organized body of nurses to fight for you and your patients. If you aren't there to help make the changes, then quit griping and understand that this is your fate.

Nurses MUST start getting more sophisticated in their understanding of their employers!!

Youda stepping off her soapbox now

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

You got it, Girl ! 100% ! Kudos, Cookies &, Chocolates for Youda !!!

[Youda]

:) :)

[frankie]

Youda - Frankie here. I have to say, despite my c/o r/e retention, I agree 100% with you, and I know my talk of retention issues is blowing in the wind. frankie