I am writing this totally heart broken and at my wits end.
I started my career as a nurse receiving compliments on what a good job I did. I felt that I was one of those people that had to do my job well and couldn't settle for any less. I had to chart well and provide the care that patients and families were more than satisfied with. They had to know they could count on me and that I was going to be there for them.
After 15 years and multiple hospital settings I have come to realize that it doesn't matter. Over the years, I have witnessed that many of hte units are run by managers and assistant managers that couldn't handle floor nursing and yet their demands on their employees are unrealistic. The people that they choose to be in charge and manage the floor are picked based on friendship and loyalty rather than hard work.
I have worked side by side with techs who run the unit and force nurses to do their work while they find time to sit on the internet or phone and then get out on time while we are stuck over finishing our work. I have walked into many patients rooms to pass pills only to find they had no water, haven't been turned or need urine emptied from urinals or pans that are overflowing. I can't tell you how many pans I have see stained with urine or feces because they don't get rinsed. How often patients are tied up in lines and cords.
I find myself picking up the slack and doing all of the jobs that countless others do not. Why can't people untangle lines? Why aren't pans rinsed from urine or feces? Why won't the techs do tech jobs and make sure people have water or that other needs are met?
In the end, what you get is punished. Punished because you couldn't get your work done. Punished because you couldn't meet everyone's needs and a patient or family felt you took too long to get to them and there was nothing you could say or do to make it right when you knew in your heart that it wasn't your fault. Instead, the blame is on the fact that there is too much for you to do or there is a major imbalance of productivity amongst workers.
The reason for the nursing shortage? Overworked and not appreciated and abused. You can't stick up for yourself, you can't tell them why you couldn't get things done - you can't say nothing. 15 years and nothing to show for it. I have tried nearly every hospital around and I find the negative complainers and the staff that knows how to socialize are the people that are respected and appreciated. It's not about the people that are out there busting their tails. Everyone knows there is a shortage and why but no one does anything and the biggest culprits are the administrators of the hospitals. The majority of those couldn't handle floor nursing or hardly ever experienced it at all.
I leave behind a lot of families and patients that thought I was a great nurse. But when you can't please one in a hundred or more you are a bad nurse. People don't understand the level of demands on a nurse. It is a downright abusive field with little to no appreciation surrounded by many people who are disappointed with their jobs and their choice in the career.
My final blow: After 3 years of sweating to please my last employer and taking the abuse of never hearing anything good - only bad. I went back to agency and went back to a hospital that I worked at 3 years ago. I knew that this hospital had a bad reputation for poor bedside care. Half the staff of any unit could easily be float and agency. The regular staff on the floor was made up of mostly young girls in tight spandex and inviting clothes working on socializing with doctors and hanging out at the desk all day long. Call lights were on non-stop but these girls would not answer them. The techs were busting their tails here. The agency nurses were working but the in house floats were sitting and socializing too. I ended up with a patient with a very bad attitude that was a complainer and law-suit happy. She was furious that for 4 days not one person followed through with obtaining her records from another hospital. It fell on me. I also had a patient admitted with respiratory distress which she shared a room with and could see I was busy. With her personality, she was angry at the moaning of the elderly lady who couldn't breath and was determined to get me to stop and cater to her to get on those records. When I got my respiratory patient stablized, I did just that. Turns out that the other hospital never received any fax requesting the information. This lady hated every person she had contact with at that hospital and wanted to call an agency to get them shut down. I'm sure you know the type by now. So....guess what. I was told today that I was not welcome back because of her complaint. I would literally pull a chair up and sit next to this lady and let her vent. I gave her my heart and I got booted. The nurse that she had the next day was a guy that sat around socializing and didn't care one bit about her. He was regular staff and he was NOT going to go out of his way. They all get to keep their jobs but the nurse that took the time out to take care of her is out the door.
I need a job or I wouldn't take the abuse. But, I know for a fact that this hospital is never going to get it. They were like that 3 years ago and now they have more floats and more agency staffing them. This is a big and reputable hospital.
The hospital I worked at for 3 years was dumping more and more tasks on the nurses and they were all unhappy and complaining. We lost good hard working techs and they were replaced with people who didn't want to work or nursing students who were tired when they came to work and were kicking their feet up taking it easy. Management loved those people.
I suffer from spinal degeneration and pain and I never get to sit down. My job is harder because they are not pulling their weight.
There is nothing left. I still owe for my loan and I am scared to death to take another nursing job. I know it is not going to be any different. I hurt. I lost my insurance and after all that I worked for I have nothing to show for it but bills and a destroyed ego and heart. I feel as though I am the misfit. I am the one who isn't right. I am wrong. I can't even bring myself to waste time on another application since I don't want anything to do with this career any more. I am going to lose my home, my vehicle and everything else.
I have noticed that the field is being taken over by young graduates who are more worried about looking sexy and socializing than working. Patient satisfaction has gone down the tubes and the senior skilled nurses are getting nowhere in this field. There is nothing anyone can do. We all know it is happening but we can't do anything about it.
Yes - I do see your point. I've sent the message, also adding text to make it more emphatic and adding the caveats about protecting nurses who speak up for patient safety.
Good, I think our protection is very important. We know what is safe out there. It's not fair that we get stripped from our careers because we know that.
Many of us have worked in hospitals with union representation, and from what I've seen, I'm not a bit impressed. Where I worked, all the union reps concentrated on were wages and benefits---working conditions were NEVER addressed during collective bargaining sessions. I also didn't appreciate the involvement of the union in local and national politics; I'm not crazy about the idea of my dues going toward a candidate I wouldn't vote for, or a cause I don't support.
My other objection to unions is this: we are professionals, not factory workers. We should find a more appropriate way to air our grievances and achieve reasonable working conditions, such as those that MDs and other educated professionals enjoy. A nurses' association, such as the ANA, could do so much to further our cause if they would stick to advocacy and advancement of the profession (and embrace ALL nurses, not just RNs). But they've gotten so invested in pushing unions, playing politics, and looking down their noses at ADNs and LPNs that they just don't speak for the average nurse anymore. And they certainly do not speak for me.
There are a number of MD groups who are union members. In my home town, some physicians went on strike with the support of their union against an HMO. They made their point, and got what they wanted through collective bargaining.
I thinking nursing is striving to be a profession, but it really isn't one yet.
Professionals are not told what to say through scripting- they have their own words and use them. Professionals are not verbally dressed down and repremanded like children for the tiniest infraction.
Professionals are in charge of their own profession- they decide its' course and steer it there themselves. This does not describe nursing.
I think the "but nurses are professionals, they shouldn't unionize" argument only benefits the healthcare industry.
California nurses unionized through the CNA- now they are determining their own course.
The union helped give them the power and the voice they needed to be able to act and be treated as professionals.
In summary, no evidence of a true nursing shortage exists. There is no shortage of nurses; there is a shortage of nurses willing to take the jobs under the conditions now being offered.
you think oprah would have a bunch of disgruntled nurses on her show...
i'm just talking about a few hundred thousand...
leslie:)
hey, i've written to oprah numerous times about nurses and not even a generic reply.
i wrote to dr. phil just one time and he called me personally. problem was he wanted my loser sil to appear on his show and talk about his bisexuality, or as he calls it bi-curiosity. fat chance, darn...
"Taking these two groups together — unemployed RNs and RNs working outside nursing — it is clear that a very substantial share of the current 'shortage' could be solved if working conditions improved for RNs on the job. Even after subtracting those with out-of-date nursing skills or disability or illness, more than 102,000 working RNs could potentially be drawn back into nursing. Similarly, as shown in the table at right, combining this number with the total number of unemployed RNs who are under age 60 and have no young children at home (118,200) would yield more than 220,000 potentially available RNs. If we add a percentage of those with young children and a small share of those over age 60, the supply of potentially available RNs rises to nearly 250,000. "
As far as unions go, I worked at a psych hospital years ago and was in a state union, it was EXCELLENT. The nurses and staff got along it was probably the least stressful of any nursing position I ever had.
California nurses seem to be happy with the CNA by and large. Ineffectual unions are just that useless.
As far as unions go, I worked at a psych hospital years ago and was in a state union, it was EXCELLENT. The nurses and staff got along it was probably the least stressful of any nursing position I ever had.
California nurses seem to be happy with the CNA by and large. Ineffectual unions are just that useless.
I can't say much for unions. I was not impressed with them when it comes to protecting nurses from administrative or co-worker abuse. In comparison to non-union jobs, HR was just as effective and didn't cost any dues. I think it's time the unions focus on the conditions and the stress level on nurses. But that won't do me any good because I don't see me working in a union hospital. Having state incentives and regulations would be better by far.
I hope you find healing. As it happens, three of my best friends are nurses and are cheering me all the way. This field does not frighten me. Life is what you make of it. What I have lost is far worse than anything you can throw at me. If you want the field to change, start with yourself.
Forty years ago I thought the same way you do; I was very outspoken, stood up for my self and ALWAYS faced nursing problems head on and worked hard for change. WELL, after 40 years of butting my head :banghead:against this unchangeable institution of nursing, I have given up. I was on the front lines for 40 years, working & talking& and counselling other nurses to stand up for themselves, confronting doctors/managers/CEOs. The only change I ever saw was in me: I got more worn, more stressed, older, and more discouraged.
Yes, we can make a change but this would mean that EVERY nurse would have to stand up as one and say NO to understaffing, poor pay, no retirement, etc. and that, my dear newbie, is just not going to happen in my life time or yours. I feel you are in for a rude awakening as to the real nursing world and I only hope you are going in with your eyes wide open and with realistic expectations. I fully KNOW what BrokeRN is talking about and I empathize with her and every nurse in her shoes. Only nurses who truly care feel this way; there are lots of nurses out there who have no problem with nursing because they don't care about nursing. Sad that only those of us who care experience burn out and leave.
My advice to you: listen to what others have to say about their experiences without judging. Sometimes all we need is an ear, not advice.:redbeathe:redpinkhe
Leslie, you have to speak the right tongue. Being a good member for the nurses won't get you up into the chair or VP seat. It's still all about politics and what comes out of your mouth. You will be allowed to speak this way but not that way and you can speak about this but not that.
There is a reason they do not speak of it. And I don't think it is because they do not realize it exists.
The union at my hospital is so deep in the hospital's pocket it can't see!!! The union members and hospital managers play golf together, go to Hawaion "union" business together. Our union is just for show, it's all politics and money and power. I tried to get the nurses at my hospital to hire a lawyer and negotiate our own contract but most just didn't want to bother. They had too much else to do and wanted someone else to do all the work.
"I feel you are in for a rude awakening as to the real nursing world and I only hope you are going in with your eyes wide open and with realistic expectations."
Trust me, I know. Because I know how right you are I already know it is a dead end and won't be broken hearted. My broken heart is because I just can't do this any more. I am willing to apply "some" of my time to this. My main goal is to work at getting the message across that it is the environment and ANA has already started that. I see nothing wrong with taking the time to go to this link because the work is done and it requires very little from us. If the step is easy we might see more effort from people especially considering there are so many of us that feel exactly what you said. None of us have anything to lose by clicking on that link and sending it. I am impressed at how they set it up for us.
Also, know that by reinforcing the fact that we might as well give up and face the fact that we can't change anything sets us up for absolute defeat. While I know all to well that what you are saying is very real, things are even worse now than ever and we allowed it to get this way by NOT doing anything about it. We risk our license every time we go to work under these conditions. Nurses are feeling the same stress and frustration all over. We let it get this way. Every time someone like you comes along and we have new people that want to speak up, we can add to the number of people fighting for what is right. If you jump in and ride shirt tails instead of going by your past experience, there is a small possibility that one day it might pay off. If you can't bring yourself to be as active as you were, that is understandable, but you can keep your eye on those that are and be ready if it looks promising. Maybe it won't be with this effort or the next, but ANA has set up an easy process. I have never seen this before. Don't give up and not invest in the minute or two that it takes to fill that form out and send it. We have nothing else right now. That is the only thing that I am aware of that includes all of us. It does not leave it up to a small number of people to do the speaking for us. We get to speak by sending a message that has already been generated for us. It is the best step forward that I have seen in years and California got their way. Things have to change. Bringing new grads through is not going to change it. ANA has started a move for us and given us the opportunity to speak up. If you can't invest yourself again, do this....it is simple.
I won't walk away from any opportunity to support safe staffing and changes in the environment. I am fed up. I can only invest so much of myself as well because I know people feel the way you do and have given up. That is the biggest problem. That is what is frustrating and exhausting. I have time right now and I will bring links to this board that look easy enough to follow through. I know that the bigger the effort, the more likely we all are to give up.
This is easy. We can do it and return right back to our little worlds and say a little prayer.
BrokenRNheart
367 Posts
Good, I think our protection is very important. We know what is safe out there. It's not fair that we get stripped from our careers because we know that.