Anyone working for FMC annoyed by this?

[CocoaGirl]

I just read a company email that FMC is boasting a "9% increase in revenue to $1,876 million & dialysis services revenue also increased 9% to $1,677 million" for the second quarter of 2009. But when the employees at our clinic asked a few months ago about a cost of living raise, our area manager reported to us there is no need for a cost of living raise since the cost of living has not gone up. ARE YOU KIDDING ME.... is anyone else annoyed by this? Fresenius is bragging about profits when the staff are overworked, under paid and can get a maximum annual raise of only 3% (which no one ever receives since this leaves no room to "improve"). FMC also reported a $17 increase in revenue for EVERY dialysis treatment during the quarter. Our clinic is so understaffed, the patients get marginal care (we do the best we can with what we have). Just another great example of profit over patient care and safety. I honestly don't know how the "big wigs" can sleep at night with the injustices this company does to their patients and employees. UGGGGHHH.

[NurseKitten, MSN, RN]

My gf works for FMC in another city, and from what she's told me, this is about par for the course. :-\

[GeauxNursing]

Just about to start my prn position at an FMC this week, thanks for the info. Davita gives bonuses on a regular basis. When the company makes a lot of money, we all get some. I am waiting on our 1st half bonus to come really soon! Our raises are also the crappy 3 percent.

I don't really think that staffing problems are as big as the entire company, per se. I think each clinic has an equal opportunity to be a crappy, poorly-run clinic. It has a lot to do with middle management and their budget. It is not necessarily FMC as a whole entity that sucks. Because technically, if you are so short-staffed, you are getting some pretty nice OT, right? In my region, Davita would rather have too much staff to assure that no one has to be paid OT.

So I guess it depends on how you look at it. I would rather work an extra shift at my clinic or be assured a full 10 hours every time I come in (=OT hours) rather than having to go pick up a day a week at another company's clinic (=regular hours).

But I do agree with you on the patient care. We work our TAILS off to provide safe and compassionate care always. However, we are not always given the proper tools (or motivation.)

[workingmomRN]

I got a letter from FMC last week about unions. Is there a union trying to get into FMC?

[soulofme]

I got a letter but have not been approached by the union.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

Kru Medical is the same way. My staff hadnt had raises in more than 3 years. And no bonuses. Also they didnt pay for working holidays except at regular time (no 1 1/2), no pto for working those days. We were told we were using too much saline, cut the heparin, and using too many syringes LOL. They cut our medical coverage and increased our premiums. Then cut our staff, starting hiring PCT's only on a per-diem basis to get out of paying benefits. One tech comes in at 5 to get the water started and set up, 2nd comes in at 5:30 to help finish, RN comes in at 5:30 to get heparins, etc ready and first patients come in at 5:45. The tech who came in first leaves early therefore leaving 1 tech and the RN to finish when it drops to 8 pts then the RN closes while the techs go home when last pt leaves. All in the name of cutting cost. CVC dressing changes down to only once per week, no more cathflo so pts have to go to ER now (so much for unneccesary expenses to medicare/medicaid). I am so glad to be out of dialysis at this point!! I miss my staff, I miss my patients but the industry sucks the life out of you.

[81Bubbles, BSN, RN]

I recieved the letter about Unions too, hmm no one has approached me or anyone I know yet however

[CocoaGirl]

I too received the union letter, but no one has approached me yet. Do you think a union will make any difference? One of the "old timers" at a nearby clinic told us to be careful about this union issue because in the past employees have been fired or "ran out" for trying to organize. Something needs done & soon.

[81Bubbles, BSN, RN]

I too received the union letter, but no one has approached me yet. Do you think a union will make any difference? One of the "old timers" at a nearby clinic told us to be careful about this union issue because in the past employees have been fired or "ran out" for trying to organize. Something needs done & soon.

It had come up from some of the techs @ our unit before and we also had a few people who'd been around for a while who gave the same warnings. No one has approached me and I'm not all that gung-hoe to be organizing. I'm a very hard worker and there are many people around who are not.

[TraceyLPN]

yes that irritates me too. I've been with FMC for 3 years now and I see the same thing. I told the area manager once that we were so understaffed that I felt I wasn't even giving decent care let alone "ultracare." That is sad, too, the patients deserve so much better. FMC is huge on paperwork also. We just went from the Time D and Time W computer programs too, to this TimeV7 thing. Most of it is not user friendly at all. I swear they just make it harder and harder instead of easier. But I love dialysis and do not want to do anything else. My goal is to get out of RN school, get my teenager graduated, then do travel nursing and take my husband with me. I would love to be able to just go into a unit, take care of my patients, and go home, and not have to worry about the office politics. You know something else they waste money on is this central admissions crap. That is nothing but a middle man. They could be rid of that and add more staff to their units to take care of the patients. Who thinks up that stuff anyway? I always say it's someone who has never stepped foot in a dialysis unit.

[srtga]

I've worked for FMC off and on for years. Used to get the sign-on bonus for 1 year then quit when it was up, go to work for Davita for a year (with a bonus), quit and flip back to FMC for another bonus...

I'm working agency now at a clinic which has a nurse in training. I'm supposed to be done when she's trained up. Anyway, she told me the other day that she's not going to stay when her orientation is complete

Chairside what a *******' waste! All the $$ they wasted on that crap and all the crap they sent out to clinics during the "roll-out". Posters, paperweights, doo-dads... Gotta love it when the computers sh!t the bed at shift change That's an automatic extra hour for the whole staff because everything goes to he!! and you have to play catch-up at the end of the day...

And band-aids and raises aren't in the budget

Gotta :loveya:FMC!!

They're paying for my hotel right now... My mileage check usually covers the hookers!

Just kidding. Yea, I feel your pain. Just take care of your patients the best you can and try to make their time with you GOOD. Don't let your frustrations bleed over onto your patients!

Remember you DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE. You can take a sick day or PTO. YOUR PATIENTS CAN'T.

[Onekidneynurse]

I too received the union letter, but no one has approached me yet. Do you think a union will make any difference? One of the "old timers" at a nearby clinic told us to be careful about this union issue because in the past employees have been fired or "ran out" for trying to organize. Something needs done & soon.

There is a bill afoot in Congress that would allow unions to have you sign a card that you are interested in a union. There would be no vote. The card you signed would count as your vote.

There would be no secret ballot. The union will know where you stand on unionization. That law will NOT protect you. It will take away your freedom to vote the way you want without anyone knowing how you voted unless you tell them.

Fresenius is protecting you from unethical union activity. Of course they would like it also if you didn't unionize. Although, I wonder how that works with a German company.

If you are interested google . Union card check. You'll find info there.