Should nurses strike?

Nurses Activism

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Should nurses strike? Would you cross the picket line?:confused:

Originally posted by donmurray

In some ways, it is about control. The clients are there because they are not in control of themselves in some manner. If you are not in control, as is apparent from the described situation, then anything may happen. If one tolerates a workplace environment such as described without complaint, then while you are there, not only do you place yourself at risk, and the clients, but you perpetuate an unsafe situation, placing your colleagues at risk also.

I agree.

In the situation described by the nursing student the school, treatment facility, or whatever she worked for should not have had an inexperienced teacher with too many incompetent students. It was the management even more than her placing all in peril.

I work nights in critical care. I have a letter of praise for being in charge and accepting 5 of my own patients. This was wrong, illegal, and unsafe! Why did they not plan to never have such happen again instead of praising me for coping with an unsafe situation.

Later I became the 'troublemaker' for leading a drive to stop unsafe staffing. I still work there because we have a union, staff and unit manager agree and understand.

Otherwise it would have been resignation.

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I commend you, Spacenurse. THAT is what Nursing is all about. Helping your peers AND your patients by saying "Enough! it's not safe" and following through, not being the "good girl" and sucking it up when management is truly cra pping on you and the patients.

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It takes most nursing staff educated to the regulations and unwilling to put patients in danger.

Incident reports telling of errors due to short staffing do wonders with our administration.

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Originally posted by donmurray

In some ways, it is about control. The clients are there because they are not in control of themselves in some manner. If you are not in control, as is apparent from the described situation, then anything may happen. If one tolerates a workplace environment such as described without complaint, then while you are there, not only do you place yourself at risk, and the clients, but you perpetuate an unsafe situation, placing your colleagues at risk also.

Your missing the point!!! She is not simply tolerating the environment...that IS the environment. She works with troubled kids that either go to jail or this school. There are safety measures in place but what do you want to do, handcuff the kids to their desks all day? Its not a PRISON. There are some jobs that do have inherant risk...i.e. a police officer. By your logic then a police officer is a danger to his/her colleagues as well as themself for tolerating their work environment. That is how you sound.

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Originally posted by bender73

Your missing the point!!! She is not simply tolerating the environment...that IS the environment. She works with troubled kids that either go to jail or this school. There are safety measures in place but what do you want to do, handcuff the kids to their desks all day? Its not a PRISON. There are some jobs that do have inherant risk...i.e. a police officer. By your logic then a police officer is a danger to his/her colleagues as well as themself for tolerating their work environment. That is how you sound.

Seems to me, not a psychiatric nurse or mental health professional, that there needed to be more staff. Perhaps an assistant or two. One to protect the students and teacher, the other to get help.

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There always seems to be a simple answer to everything, huh? More staff. More staff. More staff!!! In a perfect world maybe. In the nurse's utopian vision all would be well with more staff, better pt ratios, more money, better shifts, etc.. The fact is, this is the "now" and the direction healthcare is heading is following more of a business model. Is that good? Well, yes and no. Is socialized medicine good? Yes and no. There are no absolutes and its not JUST the job of the nurse, doctor, or whatever to fight change all the time...you gotta learn to roll with the punches a bit more. There are other ways to go about making healthcare better. Newspapers, radio, TV, the internet, lobbying, etc.. The point being...stay in the hospital and take care of the patient. Striking, IMO, is very close to abandonment. You can argue with me all you want but that does not change the fact that the moment you walk out that door, you have abandoned your patients...and that I find more disturbing than anything else.

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Is quitting an unsafe job abandonment too?

I quit my first full time 'nursing' position as a certifiec nursing assistant when the SNF where I worked forged my name to 76 chartes. I WAS asked on a Sunday to do ROM in addition to bathing and feeding 12 patients with 6 sheets and 6 towels! The linen was locked uo and only the 'highle educated' LVN had the key. I stayed over to do some ROM on patients who knew who they were (assessment by a non nurse). Tuesday morning I saw my name on the chart of one I had not even seen on Sunday.

Dumb me, I gave 2 weeks notice, reported the facility to the health department, and went to work at an acute care hospital. Found the DHA ( health services NOT Homeland Security) in the telephone book. An activist was created by that dishonesty. Troublemaker. Yup, thats me until hospitals exist for NURSING CARE!

Please tell us another reason for a hospital or NURSING HOME!

What IS the reason for this BUSINESS?

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GO SPACENURSE!

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Wow. I read through each and every post to get a clear understanding of the viewpoints presented. First off, let me clarify, I am one of those "highly educated" LVN's (whoever said that in an earlier post--thanks for the support--sarcasm intended). That being said, I have been fortunate enough not to work in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, or assisted living home where striking became necessary. Would I have gone on strike? No, I wouldn't. Why? Because I cannot understand how leaving patients alone would be any better than working understaffed. I've worked long hours...as many as 18 hours at a time...with limited staff and far from decent pay and no benefits. Not because I was trying to be a martyr or because I wanted to prove myself to the top brass. No way. I did it because I could not in good conscience leave those patients alone knowing I could provide care in some aspect. Perhaps it is my non-experience in the types of situations you nurses who have or would strike have mentioned. I worked in facilities where the top staff on the floor were GVN's. I've worked in facilities where I was oriented by a CNA to the floor with 90% vent patients and had to pass meds, do treatments, monitor the CNA's etc on my first day. Then I've worked in facilities where we had enough staff but people complained about money, benefits, the TYPE of patients they had to care for etc etc etc....you get the idea.

I would have to agree with RNstudentnurseK and Bender73.

I left the nursing field because I got tired of the long hours, the lack of respect from both my managers and the RN's and the doctors, the lack of benefits, and just the overall stress of the situation. I take full responsibility for making the choice to leave and go into a different field. Maybe it wasn't the best decision but it was my decision. And yes, I still plan to go back to nursing once I finish school.

Here's my thinking, if you don't try your best to provide the care to the patient who will? People like Bender73 who know a good opportunity when they see it and reap the financial rewards while everyone else is outside waiting for management to cave.

No, I don't want my family member or myself for that matter to be cared for by some underworked overwrought nurse but I would rather have them cared for by SOMEONE than no one at all.

I'm not saying there is never a reason to strike. I'm sure as a last resort, there is a perfectly good reason. But I wouldn't do it. And I have walked in the shoes. For 8 years I've walked in them. Try walking in the LVN's shoes when you are told you are nothing more than a glorified nurses aide. When you are told you are not needed because a trained PCA (now called techs) can do your job including catheters, restraints, etc. When you are told you do not qualify for the sign-on bonus or the benefits or other perks because you are not an RN. When you are told that the highest pay LVN's get anywhere but agency is $15/hour. And you are still expected to do your job, assist the RN (and that's more than just running to get the coffee ladies and gentlemen), and whatever else needs to be done.

This is the nature of the beast folks. All fields have their problems. Policemen and firemen have unsafe conditions. Doctors have unsafe conditions. Nurses have unsafe conditions. Teachers have unsafe conditions. It doesn't make it right but it's the way life is and you just have to do your best to make it work. Walking out...nope. As someone said earlier, shut up and put up or get the hell out of the profession. :D

I shall now apply my sunscreen and sunglasses and sit back in preparation of the flaming... I just love this site, don't y'all? The professional courtesy we afford each other is just awesome! Gee.

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I did not explain that this INDIVIDUAL LVN told us aides that she was 'highly educated' daily. She implied that we could keep 12 incontinent patients clean with 6 sheets and 6 towels if we were as 'highly educated' as her.

She truly disliked me because I would not give the medication that she placed on the meal trays. She wanted to sit and eat the free meal (salty & high fat) afforded only licensed staff while we mere CNAs fed the patients and gave medication. In this state medication administration is illegal without a license. A certified nursing assistant is certified, not licensed.

I was an LVN for 11 years. Most LVNs are nurses who respect others. I was only referring to one individual. There are some in every field as you know from just reading this forum. (The CRNA & NP who insult nurses as if we are all the same.)

PS: If we do what you suggest who will care for those who need a nurse?

Quote:

"As someone said earlier, shut up and put up or get the hell out of the profession" txsugarlvn

PPS: Do you approve of locking the linen?

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Spacenurse, yikes, nurses like the one you worked with are wretched. I always disliked those who wouldn't get their hands dirty. That's why I loved scrubs. 9 times out of 10 I was changing linen, cleaning patients, feeding patients, etc etc. Ponytails and athletic shoes were by uniform of choice.

NO!!! I definitely do not approve of locking the linen. Heck no. There were times you need six towels and six sheets for one resident! No way. Linens need to be available and ready to go at all times.

Now that I have had something to eat, and re-read my post, I can't really give an answer to your question because it's the same question I asked. Forgive my rash quote.

It was not my intention to offend or be rude and I apologize if I was either of those.

I believe nurses need to stick together because we are the lifeline for the patients and the care they receive. All the orders from docs etc don't make a single difference if nurses aren't there to carry them out and provide the care. That goes for LVN's, RN's, AND CNA's.

:)

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For the love of Mike, the patients are not "left alone" when there is a strike. They are transferred out sometimes; often, hosp. admin. will hire scabs. The patients do not go without care.

I will not put my license in jeopardy simply because a hospital wants to cut corners on staffing. I can get another job; replacing a license is not as easy.

For those who feel nurses are "whiners" for protesting unsafe staffing and mandatory overtime, I have an invitation for you: Get on a plane, whose captain has already flown a full day but has now been mandated an additional 8h...oh yeah, and the company decided to do without a co-pilot for cost-saving measures.

And this may sound petty, but I have to say it: bender, please learn the difference between your/you're.

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