ANA representation & Workplace Violence

[xbananachipsx, BSN, RN]

I sent the ANA - California chapter an e-mail about my story, my experience of workplace violence. Initially I was requesting if any change could be done to my probation. They gave me a generic response and while I knew it was expected, I was honestly pissed off.

So I followed up with another e-mail. No response again. Sent another e-mail.

I sent another e-mail asking again to speak to someone about my experience and be a part of the change. 

Honestly if I feel like I can't talk to the ANA about my experience.... what's the point of keeping the membership? connections? it's almost like I'm lying to myself. 

Has anyone dealt with wanting any form of representation as a nurse and gotten little to nothing in response?

This is mainly me ranting - admin feel free to delete if inappropriate. 

(MODERATOR REMOVAL OF IMAGES CONTAINING IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF STAFF)

 

 

[xbananachipsx, BSN, RN]

apologies I was going keyboard warrior. 

I've been so frustrated with everything in my nursing life that I was at my wit's end.

it took a lot of angry e-mails and a few phone calls to finally get a hold of someone.

I'm considering going public with my current issue. I'm going to consult with my boss about it so I do it tactfully. stay tuned.

 

[londonflo]

On 4/2/2022 at 4:14 PM, xbananachipsx said:

Honestly if I feel like I can't talk to the ANA about my experience.... what's the point of keeping the membership? connections? it's almost like I'm lying to myself. 

This seems to be what keeps them busy,

 in my opinion. https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/

There is no money in dealing with actual nurse's problems. Where were they during the 2020 impact of covid.....oh, I forgot, they wrote a letter to the government. 

I  financially supported and volunteered for my local ANA unit. But found the effort I put into my work was never reciprocated by my state unit. And the state chapter that held our state convention was lacking in actually performing their duties. 

 

 

[xbananachipsx, BSN, RN]

I listen to Just Some Podcast - a nursing podcast about healthcare issues around the world. Their most recent podcast is related to the state BoNs and the legal crap we are subjected to: 

Stay tuned.

 

[MissPiggy8]

Welcome to the real world of nursing.....the ANA is NOT your friend, they are there to brag that they are keeping the public safe, meaning they are there to go after nurses.

If you want representation you need to join a union, as they will be on the nurse's side.  I have been a nurse for approx. 25 years and NEVER joined the ANA nor the TNA.  Don't waste your time, money, and trust on the ANA.

Sounds paranoid but it is true.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:14 PM, xbananachipsx said:

I listen to Just Some Podcast - a nursing podcast about healthcare issues around the world. Their most recent podcast is related to the state BoNs and the legal crap we are subjected to: 

Stay tuned.

 

BoNs are there to protect the public, not nurses. ANA doesn't give a rat's patootie, except to make money and sanctimoniously smack their lips at us and tell us we're a professional group, blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I wish that I had something nicer to say

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

ANA has been working extensively over the past 10 years --and many years prior on the issue of workplace violence.  Especially, they have been working with state associations to implement state laws regarding violence against healthcare professionals since there is no OSHA reg --which ANA has worked on at the FEDERAL level:

American Nurses Association (ANA) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195). This legislation, approved by a vote of 254-166, will help to better protect all health care professionals and require health care and social service industry employers to develop and implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans. Safe work environments are fundamental to promoting positive health outcomes for patients and communities.

As is often the case, this legislation is STALLED in the senate.

There was a time when reporting a patient for workplace violence was considered wrong: they were sick, just "acting out, or stressed"--along with no mechanism to report this issue.  ANA's Reporting Incidents of Workplace violence has strong stance of creating a culture that supports reporting!

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The ANA has long supported voluntary reporting of events, near misses and unsafe conditions throughposition statements like the one from 2010, “Just Culture.”xx In 2016, the ANA called for a “culture of safety” as the National Nurses Week theme. In the 2016 press release for National Nurses Week, Pamela M. Cipriano,PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN explicitly tied worker safety and a culture of safety together when she described a culture of safety as one in which “injuries to nurses and other health care professionals should not be
tolerated as just ‘part of the job.’”xxi

Nurses are not alone in creating a culture of safety; leaders and managers from across the health care industry are called upon to take action in creating a culture of safety. In 2017, the American College of Healthcare Executives and the IHI/NPSF Lucian Leape Institute created a document, “Leading a Culture of Safety: A Blueprint for Success,” calling on health care executives to place safety as a
“core value that is fully embedded throughout our organizations and our industry.” ...

 

In PA, nurses worked with our legislators and got passed effective July 1, 2020.:

Act 51 of 2020 - Violence in the Workplace strengthens penalties for assaults against healthcare practitioners and technicians.

Act 54 of 2020 - Omitting Last Name on Badges allows health systems to omit the last name of employees from workplace photo identification badges worn by medical professionals

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Violence, Incivility, & Bullying

While nursing is a profession dedicated to helping others, the highly charged nature of many of the environments in which nurses work can lead to situations where emotions boil over.

Incivility, bullying, and violence in the workplace are serious issues in nursing, with incivility and bullying widespread in all settings. Incivility is “one or more rude, discourteous, or disrespectful actions that may or may not have a negative intent behind them”. ANA defines bullying as “repeated, unwanted, harmful actions intended to humiliate, offend, and cause distress in the recipient.”

Such acts of aggression – be they verbal or physical – are entirely unacceptable, whether delivered by patients or colleagues. These incidents not only have a serious effect on the wellbeing of the nurse in question but also their ability to care for their patients.

ANA seeks to protect nurses from all types of workplace conflict through various methods including advocacy, policy, and resources. We want nurses, employers, and the public to jointly create and nurture a healthy, safe, and respectful work environment in which positive health outcomes are the highest priority.

 

How ANA is taking action on workplace violence

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Currently, there is no specific federal statute that requires workplace violence protections, but several states have enacted legislation or regulations aimed at protecting health care workers from its effects. We support these moves by individual states, and are actively advocating further, more stringent regulation.

In 2015, we convened a Professional Issues Panel on Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence to develop a new ANA position statement. You can read the full position statement here, and below are some key points:

• The nursing profession will not tolerate violence of any kind from any source;
• Nurses and employers must collaborate to create a culture of respect;
• The adoption of evidence-based strategies that prevent and mitigate incivility, bullying, and workplace violence; and promote health, safety, and wellness and optimal outcomes in health care;
• The strategies employed are listed and categorized by primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention;

The statement is relevant for all health care professionals and stakeholders, not exclusively to nurses.

In 2019 the #EndNurseAbuse Professional Issues Panel developed policy on barriers to reporting workplace violence. You can read the full Issue Brief here.