What do you consider to be nursing's biggest setback?

TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN · May 5, 2011

An increasing focus on "Customer Service" as opposed to patient care and outcomes. I'm seeing a trend where patients are no longer being held accountable for being compliant with medical treatments because if they don't want to give up their KFC despite a blood sugar of 600 they don't have to and shame on us on trying to provide education to a healthier lifestyle after all the "Customer is always right.". Because of this attitude of "Don't upset the customer." a nurses' opinion is given little regard by the public and our superiors.

The Healthcare industry, those three words say it all. Helping human beings recover and become well has been perverted into "Do whatever we can to make money and avoid being sued or draw public attention."

Our health care system is flawed, and sadly we nurses are in many cases viewed merely as pawns and as an expense.

Davey Do · May 5, 2011

All the Redundant and Superfluous Documentation that actually detracts from Patient Care.

Surveying and Accreditation Agencies whose jobs it is to find something wrong with Policies and Procedures. They will assure things are fixed when they're not broken.

And the Kowtowing Yes Man Administrators who won't as much as challenge one of the Surveying or Accreditation Agency's Dictates.

It seems that when I was in Administration, I would give rationales for certain Methodology when Policies and Procedures were challenged. But, then again, maybe that's one reason I didn't have a long career as an Administrator. Who knows?

But anyway, there's a couple of things I consider Setbacks, almost30.

Good enquiry.

Dave

nurse2033, MSN, RN · May 5, 2011

The inability to say "no". Nurses seem to feel that being supportive means taking on every task, every responsibility, and cheerfully embracing every demand by JCAHO, to be the perfect nurse. I was once told by an old timer that she was glad to see more men in nursing because the pay would go up. This cynical statement, to me, shows the underlying dynamic of men to demand fair and equal treatment, while women will shoulder any burdon to help others. Please forgive this tacitly sexist assertion but this is what I see is the failure of national nursing leadership. How many women, especially nurses, work their ass off while supporting their loser boyfriend who is too sensitive to hold down a job? Oops, getting off topic into a rant, darn it! To recap, say "no" to anyone that doesn't show you respect, like some doctors and some patients, and someone please stand up to JCAHO. We need limits on what we are expected to do. So many nurses are finding workarounds, lying in documentation, and being pulled away from the bedside to satisfy endlessly increasing demands in compliance, customer service, and documentation. Me... out!

kevinbrown10 · May 5, 2011

I am not so agree with you all. You guys are thinking from a medical point of view only. I think nursing industry is loosing their reputation somewhere due to their ability of not identifying people’s problems at their own level. If we talk in case of some nursing homes and care homes then we would find that some nurses are just pretending of doing their job. Residents are having some problems regarding their stay but no one is there in some nursing homes from which they could share their problems.

roser13, ASN, RN · May 5, 2011

Not charging for nursing services.

Nursing salaries are just a part of the "room charge," putting our services roughly on a par with housekeeping and food service.

Guest717236 · May 5, 2011

Not defining our profession and expectations. This accounts for

other departments (management/legal) running the current course of nursing.

Holding various levels of education for nursing is not the problem.

Not being unified and speaking as one voice in unison to address issues is a

major problem.

As long as nurses do not see themselves together as one workforce, and treat

each other with respect

management will be able to divide us....

merlee · May 5, 2011

Not exactly a 'setback' but as a group we do not stand together. We have allowed administrations and outside organizations to bully us, and rarely come together to say "NO!"

Whether it is patient load, mandatory OT, inhumane scheduling, not enough supplies--many of us would rather resort to chronic complaining, backbiting, and 'eating our young'.

And, sadly, with all the talk about professionalism and advanced degrees, not much has changed at the staff level in the 37 years I have been a nurse.

RNperdiem, RN · May 5, 2011

At the nursing leadership level the focus is on advanced practice and moving into the MD turf.

The bedside nurses, the LPNs the ADN prepared nurses are getting left behind and undervalued.

RedCell · May 5, 2011

Just wondering what some of you thought might be a big setback in the nursing industry? What is holding it back from being something that it may not be. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

Women

DogWmn · May 5, 2011

Not charging for nursing services.
Nursing salaries are just a part of the "room charge," putting our services roughly on a par with housekeeping and food service.

I like this idea however, I doubt it would fly because of the current rising HC costs.

Not defining our profession and expectations. This accounts for
other departments (management/legal) running the current course of nursing.
Holding various levels of education for nursing is not the problem.
Not being unified and speaking as one voice in unison to address issues is a
major problem.
As long as nurses do not see themselves together as one workforce, and treat
each other with respect
management will be able to divide us....

At the nursing leadership level the focus is on advanced practice and moving into the MD turf.
The bedside nurses, the LPNs the ADN prepared nurses are getting left behind and undervalued.

This is the ONE of the biggest issues, there has been decades of infighting nurse vs nurse is not a way to get things done. I would like to see ONE national organization for ALL nurses LPN's and RN's working together to improve our lot in life, it's the old conquer and divide thing that has been happening for decades...just look at all the threads about ADN's vs BSN's as an example.

I'd also like to add my :twocents: about the change in the education model. Decades ago Diploma nurses and LPN's had so many clinical hours that even the new grads could be up to speed with just a few weeks of orientation not the typical 4-6 months or more. The Diploma schools disapeared because of the in fighting and it was a sad day for nursing as these schools went away, they had so many clinical hours by the time they graduated they were ready to take on their jobs and they were wonderful to work with. I graduated in '72 and our LPN program was based on the old Diploma model and we had TONS of clinical hours our last term we carried a full patient load and it taught us "real world" experience BEFORE we graduated. The push for "professionalism" adding more fluff and less clinical hours has been a big mistake...what makes anyone think those Diploma nurses weren't professional:confused:. I would also like to see all progams be more standardized, the variance between programs is quite surprising, we have had a national test for decades why should we have a national standard for schools. For instance, you start one program and for what ever reason you must move to another state, you should be able to pick up just where you left off, not start over or take additional classes to get to the next term/semester.

OHHHKAAYY soooorry rant over;)

DogWmn · May 5, 2011

OK and a 'nother thaing, I'd like to see the state BON's done away with and go to a national licensing organization like the MT's have. That way we could move across state lines with ease, it would be easier to track the stinkers in our profession, and it would be much more cost effective and I think it would also help to unify us as nurses, one organization for us all.