An open letter to the #NursesUnite movement

[disillusionedrn]

An open letter in response to #NursesUnite:

It is amazing that you have finally found a cause to unite over (#nursesunite), however, I find it hard to jump on board this superficial bandwagon that actually serves the nursing profession no purpose whatsoever.

I have pondered over the last week why it is that so many nurses take such offense to the few words of an ignorant television host, being that Ms. Behar has zero impact or influence on the healthcare profession or the role of nursing, yet they do nothing to end the many real issues plaguing the nursing profession.

The only conclusion that I can come up with is that nurses feel that they can't do much to change the real problems in nursing, so they unite and attack over something that really makes no difference at all to us as a whole.

There are so many other REAL aspects of the nursing profession to unite over to influence change that will actually make a difference to nursing. There are many "dirty secrets" of nursing that go unspoken and ignored, many of which are cultivated by nurses themselves.

Bullying, horizontal violence, inadequate training, nurses "eating their young", 12+ hour shifts, no breaks, high acuities, too many patients per nurse, etc.

I went into nursing because I like to help people. I am empathetic. I am a quick thinker. I am smart. But that isn't actually what makes a nurse successful in this profession, as I have come to find out. As I have come to find out, nursing has less to do with how competent or compassionate you are, and more to do with how much you can, or are willing to, put up with. The nursing culture is full of "suck it ups" and "oh well, it is how it is."

What seems to make a nurse successful is the ability to withstand bullying, intimidation, being talked down to by supervisors, patients, family members, and doctors. The ability to get over inadequate training and support provided by management and your peers and to be okay with unsafe patio to nurse ratios. You'll feel more confident in time, it's just a part of nursing.

To be successful in nursing, you have to be okay with having zero time to take a break (even a bathroom break) and most times, taking your lunch sometimes 8 hours past your start time, or sometimes not even getting a lunch. You have to be okay with being dehydrated while hanging patient's IV bags and shaking from not being able to take a break and eat while you are checking diabetic's blood sugars and teaching the importance of proper urinary hygiene to avoid UTIs while you've been holding your own urine for the past 5 hours. Nurses are expected to just be okay with it. It's just a part of nursing, right?

You have to be okay with coming in early to "get familiar" with your patient load and not getting paid for that time. You have to be okay with staying well past your shift to give report on a regular basis, taking your total time on the clock (and off) well into 14-15 hours, which means that you are so tired driving home that you hope you make it there without crashing because your brain is tired mush. But long shifts are just a part of nursing.

You have to be okay with having to do more with less, even if it affects patient safety and outcomes. You have to be okay with doctors yelling at you and treating you like you're an incompetent idiot rather than a professional colleague in health care. You know that if you call a doctor to clarify orders or to update on your mutual patient, you may be met with disdain and sarcasm. But that's okay too, because it's just a part of nursing.

Nurses know this to be true. Nurses know these are the dirty secrets of nursing. Nurses know that bullying is rampant. Yet, the answer to this problem is "grow a thicker skin" or "you'll just get used to it".

Nurses know that understaffing is a given and that high acuity and high patient loads per nurse is more common than not. Nurses know this isn't safe, they know the care being given isn't what it should or could be, but they do not unite together against it and demand change.

Nurses know that there is often a lack of adequate training and preceptorship for new grads and new employees entering new specialty areas and that too many times nurses get thrown to the wolves and it's a sink or swim mentality. But, this is just a part of nursing we accept.

Nurses know this. They live it. They experience it. It is the culture of nursing. Yet, there is no call to end it. No hash tag. No selfies. No viral campaign on social media. No standing up to it. Just the continued mentality that these things are just a part of nursing that you have to accept or leave.

So, instead of uniting together against something or someone that has no impact on nursing, why not stand up and unite against the things that are killing the nursing profession and demand they change?

Sincerely,

A disillusioned nurse

[disillusionedrn, RN]

I stated I am not going to argue about unions, as this isn't the thread for that. But, I will say that to think the only way to effect change is through unionization is baffling to me.

[nurseactivist]

Yes, who cares about The View? Twitter and Facebook campaigns are all hot air. People like and share, then wait for their canonization.

Nurses care about patients, being respected and a job that is doable. The doable job allows them to provide qualify care and does not kill the nurse in the process with overwork. The View attacked the respect and there was outrage.

The question becomes now that The View is resolved, what about the other 2 issues? Nurses have found out first hand that they do have power. Now they have to use it. I believe the way I was respected in California was by getting nursing ratio law, safe patient handling law and we are still working on violence in the workplace.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/-nursesunited-can-we-1010197.html#post8694917

This writer asked if we can put aside our differences, stand united, and continue the momentum. I say why not?

[Beatlefan, BSN]

Exactly!!!!!! Spot on!

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I finally viewed the offensive commentary. I don't even know who these people are, the women on the show seemed lowbrow, coorifice, and obnoxious. I don't care what they think.

The show appears to be stupid.

It is stupid, but patients do seem to like that show.

[nurseactivist]

I stated I am not going to argue about unions, as this isn't the thread for that. But, I will say that to think the only way to effect change is through unionization is baffling to me.

I do not see a date, in the near future, where all nurses will agree to either one union or any union at all. Two major nurse's unions have a long unfortunate history of warring with each other and the casualty sometimes was "nurse issues."

The main principle of unionism is that we are stronger together. A very familiar slogan during contract negotiations is: "Together we bargain, divided we beg" or "an injury to one is an injury to all."

I may be idealistic, (I hope so). However, 700,000 nurses signed up in less than a week and made their voices heard on Facebook, over being disrespected by two talk show hosts. If we could encourage, support, lead, educate even some of these nurses on how to use the legislative process, I humbly believe, there is potential for success.

There are two laws pending in committees on ratios. Can we push them over the finish line? I believe, that acuity must be part of the ratio law and nurses must have input into these laws.

DISCLAIMER:

1) I am not trying to preach or rant.

2) The nurses would have to agree to identify one issue.

3) I picked ratios because staffing is the number one complaint that I hear. It could be health and safety or something else.

4) Ratios are not a pancea; there is no magic!

[ORDC]

Behar is toxic.

The most toxic thing about her, she unfortunately has a larger microphone than any nurse and instead of saying something complimentary, she chooses, because she is toxic, say something absolutely nonsensical and idiotic. She should be fired. She is over 70 anyways and on the verge of dementia I am sure as evident by her lack of knowledge of what and who nurses are.

[nurseactivist]

So while I totally disagree with your views on Planned Parenthood and animal cruelty you make an interesting point about the uproar over comments by a "television personality".

Are nurses seriously writing their representatives in Congress about this? To do what? Make a celebrity apologize for being snarky. The last time I took the time to write local politicians it was to lobby for Independent Practice for Nurse Practitioners. C'mon if its really that scathing to your sensibilities go ahead and write the TV network or sponsors but to tie up our legislators for this? We are our own worst enemies sometimes.

I have to wonder if these are the same nurses who work grossly understaffed and are willing to do everything including sweeping the floor and emptying the trash? This seems misdirected and a waste of energy when there are far more pressing issues like staffing, compensation and improved standards of nursing education.

Previously I had posted a sample of something I was going to send to my reps about the View issue. In all honestly, I never got around to sending it. However, I did notify the senator's and congresswoman's aides about the fact that 700,000 were rising up, by email. I did this because I know these aides and I thought it was important for them to be aware that nurses have the ability to rise up. In addition, one aide was to the author of the ratio bill and I thought she should know.

[shermrn]

Seriously??? Abortion is a LEGAL medical treatment in the United States.. Let's not start that debate and ruin a good thread..

I admit the abortion thing is off topic, however I brought it up to further illustrate how silly the Joy Behar uproar is when there are much larger issues to deal with.

A last thought on your abortion comment. Simply because something is LEGAL does not make it right. Some nurses use the term "legal medical treatment" to defend their position on abortion. The fact that it's legal doesn't cover the fact that the "medical procedure" is no more than the intentional killing of a human being. Ok that's all I have to say. Let's return to the Joy Behar discussion.

[Jules A, MSN]

She is over 70

Yes she is and on an aside I want some of what she's having done. She looks amazing. I was thinking about the off camera behind the scenes comments probably something along the lines of:

"you did it now those nursing beeches are cra-cra"

[kbird03]

You summed up!! I do feel no one wants to lose their job and all hospitals are about the same! Where is JACHO? Really I've always wondered they are so concerned with sharps etc., but not patient safety ratios and acuity. I think floor nurses feel powerless and now they feel empowered to get some respect and teach the public in what seems to be the most misunderstood profession. We demand recognition and respect in the media because we feel we can educate and possibly have a voice to be heard. d. Unfortunately, we don't feel the same power in our facility or place of employment we fear the status quo and that is really sad.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Thank you. It would be nice if the general public and the suits knew where we were coming from. But they don't. So even with this nurses unite movement, we will still be treated like crap ,just as before.