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

[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.

[Fancypants09]

Fantastic post!

And, if I may add, I think it would do the whole nursing profession a WORLD of good and add to its inherent value if nurses themselves stopped using the phrase "just a nurse" even if it's only to highlight the irony of the statement. I'm only fresh out of nursing school and am so tired of hearing this phrase. Let's move away from the model of the martyr nurse and have those empowered, educated nurses use their skill sets to elevate each other in the nursing profession.

[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.

Union brothers and sisters, "want to be union nurses" and fellow nurses,

I too believe that union membership is the best way to have an effective voice. However, there are some who are unfamiliar with unions, opposed to unions, unsure or scared. The petition proposed by the Show Me Your Stethescope Facebook page is a government sponsored site from the White House. This should be the least scary for the unsure, as their signature is not associated with any union or political site or party.

Most nurses would agree that they have a right to vote, pick their favorite candidates and position on issues. Hopefully, they feel more comfortable if this is their first time versus our hundredth time signing a petition.

Baby steps are better than no steps...

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/provide-federal-legislation-nurse-patient-ratios

[smartassmommy]

Nurseactivist, are nursing assistants welcome to sign your petition?

[eroc]

I don't have those issues where I work (that the author suggests).

I did at my last job….I left.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

It's easier to speak up about Joy Behar's ignorant comments than go up against your employer about unsafe working conditions. Without a union you can be easily fired if you speak up too much. I doubt a media campaign about working conditions would change things as employers are trying to save money. Nurses are viewed positively by the public so it is easier to get advertisers to boycott The View than it would be to get employers to fix things. National Nurses United is the best thing I've seen to give hope to the majority of nurses in this country. I only wish they were in my state and at my hospital! I wish them much success in expanding across the country!

[Nursecat79]

This is my thought as well. The root of the problem is the mentality that we are "just nurses". This mentality is held by many doctors, nurses and staff that implement policy regarding nurses. The mentality needs to change before any other meaningful change can take place. The view provided a flame to light a fire of understanding what our root problem is.

[Jason, BSN, BS, RN]

I agree with you however, I must say that nurses uniting over the ignorance from The View and from that we now have a platform to promote that awareness in a national spotlight. There has already been some good come from this in that Johnson&Johnson has pulled their ads and is donating money to put future nurses through school. I see this as a positive remedy. As far as other parts of nursing that need for us to unite I agree wholeheartedly. Have you picked something to unite about? If so I would be excited to jump on that bandwagon. You seem to be pretty passionate about making change. I look forward to hearing more from you on what I can support you on.

[nurseactivist]

Nurseactivist, are nursing assistants welcome to sign your petition?

It is not my petition. I found it on the FB site "Show Me Your Stethescope." I think your question is valid and makes an inportant point. We should always carefully read what we sign. When we look the signature line of the petitition it says, "Sincerely,

All Nurses of America standing united for a change"

The signature provides food for thought because the authors could have had included the words "and supporters who believe in ratios" and they did not. So, CNA, there is nothing that prevents anyone from signing. However, hopefully the signature gatherers want to maintain some type of credibility. In other words, they would not knowingly go to another country outside the US and deliberately have only electricians sign it. After all, there isn't much point in providing a fradulent or misleading petition. It does nothing for credibility.

I would say a CNA could sign if you included your title on the signature line. In that way, you are identifying yourself as part of the health community but not a nurse. Again just my thoughts, I did not write this petition. CNA, you could go the FB page and ask the writer on the "Show Me Your Stethescope" and ask them if they welcome the participation of CNAs.

I have great respect for the nurses who appear new to activism. The petition writers took the lead and did their best. Several other nurses started FB pages. While our stories our compelling, they don't affect change unless we have some type of plan of action. Is everything they do perfect, no and are they learning, yes.

Here is the wording:

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

Provide Federal legislation for nurse to patient ratios.

Nurses are essential parts of health care day to day operations. We are calling upon Congress and the House of Representatives to provide a bill for Federal Legislation for nurse to patient ratios in hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. We need safe nurse to patient ratios in order to provide the quality care that our patients deserve. We are looking to collectively have a voice and be heard by our government officials to make a change to how the nursing profession currently practices. A small amount of states in the US have nurse to patient ratios. We would like for all states to have a safe nurse to patient ratio. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

All Nurses of America standing united for a change

Published Date: Sep 17, 2015

Issues: Government Reform, Health Care

[adlockwood]

Hear hear! It is about time someone talked about boundaries. You have a right to a break. As a professional, you do what needs to be done but stop whining about it. If you are unhappy in your current role, MOVE ON! Your co-workers will appreciate it, believe me. A bad attitude is contagious

I have been a nurse for 34 years, and held at least a dozen roles that taught me something in every one. I work very hard, but I feel honored to be where I am now.

[nurseactivist]

I sent this email to my congresswoman and senator.

I previously described the issue of Miss Colorado, RN being disrespected by the TV show The View. Hosts asked why the nurse was using a "doctor's stethescope" and called scrubs a "costume." Since Monday a facebook page has been set up: "show me your stethescope" and it has 708,000 members, mostly nurses. Multiple ad companies have pulled their ads from The View. It is not wise to infuriate the nurses. (Working on getting nation wide nursing ratios).

Let me clarify, I wrote this with the intention of sending it to my congresswoman and senator. However, I know their aides well and so I decided after posting this to send it to their aides. I thought it would be seen more timely than sending it the elected directly.

[Tsegredo]

Agree on many of these points but not on many others. First of all, nurse bashing on the View DOES have an impact on the profession because it can affect the perception of nurses and ultimately, the respect nurses receive for doing what they do. Nursing is an extremely rewarding but also an extremely difficult and demanding profession. The work environment described is spot on! But understaffing, lack of adequate training, bullying, lack of support from management, and attitude from others is a complaint that so many employees in so many professions complain about every day. It's not just nursing! And nursing has EVERYTHING to do with compassion, empathy, intelligence, and competency! And those who don't truly believe that should consider taking a break from nursing. We absolutely need to be better advocates for ourselves and our profession- no arguments about that! But without the value and respect from others (some of which was jeopardized on a large scale by the ladies of the VIew), there will be no chance of improving work conditions- ever!