Louisiana hospital offers auto to lure nurses

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pickledpepperRN

4,491 Posts

I am sorry too.

Sorry for us all that those who run the "business of healthcare" just don't understand.

WE CARE FOR PEOPLE!

This is not a game. This could be anyones life. The nurse driving in the new Saturn down I - 10 to work gets broadsided by a truck, ribs puncture liver and a lung, trauma team is on the spot, then there are not enough nurses in the ER, OR, PACU, or ICU. Dead nurse. Orphan kids. Grieving spouse and/or parents, brothers and sisters.

It could be the CEO too! A family.

SORRY, SORRY is too late.

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Wow that is cool!

renerian

mario_ragucci

1,041 Posts

What is your opinion of what could lure or coax RN's to commit?

1. A down payment on a home w/option to buy.

2. Lump sum money award ($25,000).

3. Free reign to be assigned to any shift or dept, and move when you like.

4. Blanket protection from any existing or future bullies.

5. Immunity from attacks as a newcomer from existing staff

micro, RN

1,173 Posts

Where to work and what would get my professional interest to spark?

1) Pension and Insurance after retirement.

2) Uniform scrubs regardless of where you work.(i.e. I walk in in street clothes.....shower and change into scrubs)=cost and ease for me and also decreases spread of infection from me to my patients and also from my patients to me. Let alone the cost and care of uniforms.

3) Flexible scheduling. Benefits of time off and the ability to use it.

4) Educational opportunities.........from small to large.......

5) just simple respect.....for the job well done........not gimmicks, but a decent $ for a hard days work......

I am not saying that I do not have some of the aforementioned or part of the some of the aforementioned above.......

or maybe I just need to make a decent $ for a hard days work..........

and the freedom to practice nursing within my own style while within the limits and the focus of the nursing practice acts under which I work..........

work ethic 101

micro and out

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Lump sum would grab me. I have seven people in my family and five of us are in college-I can't work enough to pay for everyone! LOL. Hubby and I both work two jobs.

renerian

-jt

2,709 Posts

1) Pension and Insurance after retirement.>>

This is suddenly number one on a lot of our lists now because all of the sudden we're all almost at retirement age. But we as a group thought about this too late. 20 yrs ago when the majority of RNs were in their 20s too many didnt see the need for fighting for pensions & settled for more money in their paychecks. Retirement is not what youre thinking about when youre just out of school & starting your career. But let our situation be a lesson to all those now in that position.

Today, all of the sudden, this same majority is in their 40's & panicking - finally realizing the need for a pension that could have been growing all this time.

20 yrs ago, some far-sighted RNs fought for higher wages AND our unions pension plan. They got their hospitals to participate in it (sometimes under threat of a strike) & not only got the higher wages the rest did but also are now retiring with over $3000/mth. Thru the 90's this pension plan did so well that the hospitals didnt have to contribute & saved millions because the dividends paid for themselves. So the RNs did good & the hospitals did good.

But at other hospitals here where the short-sighted young RNs did not see the need for a pension plan & did not fight for it or think about it till they were in their 40's, & in fact fought all these years against their colleagues who did want it, because they wanted that money to go into their paychecks instead, those RNs ended up with the same high salaries as the others who got the better pensions as well but are retiring with only about $250/mth (after 30 yrs employment) - and have to pay their own health benefits until age 65 when medicare kicks in.

Lots of older nurses are now kicking themselves in the butt.

Live & learn.

To the new nurses: Learn from the mistakes of those who went before you. Pensions are very important - especially if you are only in your 20's - theres that much more work-life time for it to grow.

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I thought pensions were important too. I had a nice one but I also had five kids that needed a college education. So it is gone now spent on their dreams which I don't mind. Comes with having kids. Plus I am back in school and so is my husband. I am going to start dumping money in soon. No other choice since financial aid., they could not get, that was the only way to ensure their future. I am not alone in this problem.

renerian

-jt

2,709 Posts

Wow that is cool!>

An RN crashed her car into her house as she fell asleep turning onto her block after being forced to work 16 hrs. After coming back from disability, she quit. Even if the car had been a freebie "sign-on incentive", the condtions would not have been any different & the outcome would have been unchanged. AND she would have been responsible for the damages on the car before giving it back.

A 52 yr old RN with more than 30 yrs at her hospital just came back to work after a massive MI that almost killed her & kept her on disability for almost a year. Her first week back, she was ordered to work a second shift of forced overtime at the end of her regualr shift. When she sited her recent illness, she was told "if you cant do the job, resign". Thats the thanks she gets from an employer she gave more than a quarter of a century of her life to. How would having been given a temporarily-free car as a "retention incentive" changed any of this?

A new grad with 1 week off orientation was left in charge of a busy oncology/chemo unit - with a new LPN first day off her orientation & 2 agency RNs who had never been at that hospital before. She did the best she could but was so terrified of the unsafe situation & all the responsibility unfairly dumped on her that she quit at the end of her shift. How would a "free" car make a difference in the quality of care given by inexperienced staff without backup or guidance?

Would the use of a hospital car reduce the risk to this new RN & her brand new license?

See the big picture. Dont be blinded by the lights.

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I am sorry but I would take the car.......I have worked in hell holes before I became an RN and let me tell you nursing is nothing compared to some of the other jobs people who work 60 to 80 hours per week do just to make ends meet. I am thankfull I am an RN and don't have to work two full time jobs to feed my family......

renerian I still would take the car LOL

nimbex, RN

387 Posts

well said JT and cheerfuldoer... What we need to do, each time we write these messages to each other is to send them to our legislature. I feel we can be so much more involved at the government level if every nurse sent one letter per month... What a difference we could make.

Someone has to hear our concerns, and administrations across the country are missing the boat.... A CAR? nursing is part of who I am, not what I do to earn a buck.... Give me 15 minutes more with each patient, or a safe load, pat on the back.... that's worth a million to me.

Just like when someone gets a raise... they are content for a short time then it's suddenly not enough again... because it's not all about money to begin with.

Sign on bonuses are band-aids for boo-boo's...

A car is a total body wrap for a traumatized health care system

No offense to the car takers.... I'm envious that this would "do it" for you. I'm idealistic, not necessarily realistic in nature... but in this case.... I'd be taking the bus.

nimbex, RN

387 Posts

well said JT and cheerfuldoer... What we need to do, each time we write these messages to each other is to send them to our legislature. I feel we can be so much more involved at the government level if every nurse sent one letter per month... What a difference we could make.

Someone has to hear our concerns, and administrations across the country are missing the boat.... A CAR? nursing is part of who I am, not what I do to earn a buck.... Give me 15 minutes more with each patient, or a safe load, pat on the back.... that's worth a million to me.

Just like when someone gets a raise... they are content for a short time then it's suddenly not enough again... because it's not all about money to begin with.

Sign on bonuses are band-aids for boo-boo's...

A car is a total body wrap for a traumatized health care system

No offense to the car takers.... I'm envious that this would "do it" for you. I'm idealistic, not necessarily realistic in nature... but in this case.... I'd be taking the bus.... beep and wave at me as you pass :-)

mario_ragucci

1,041 Posts

renerian - Take the car ! I know what you mean. Times are way tough, and sometimes you have to take whats good while the getting is good. I hear you. I barked about turning my nose up to a car, but I guess if I really need one...you know.

A back up vehicle would be cool for three years. Stll, I would throw on your scale a lifestyle experience somewhere down the road of galloping to work for awhile, instead of sitting. :-) Just kidding :-)

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