Can a nurse just be a nurse anymore???

[NightNurseRN]

Is anyone else sick of the endless demands placed on nurses? Now they are implementing a new clinical ladder thing at our hospital. If you have over 3 years experience you are a "RN II" and you must get 3 "points" a year to maintain it or you will not get your raise. Examples are "heading a committee to decrease LOS" for... 1 point!! Or becoming a member of professional organization and you must bring in proof of attendence to meetings for... 1 point! This is just ridiculous. Can a nurse just be nurse????? I understand some people love this kind of stuff and by all means give them a great raise and extras! I however don't have time for this crap and do not think it should be mandatory! ughhh!!!!!! :grn::grn::grn:

[Flying ICU RN]

I really believe that the clinical ladder is to encourage the bedside nurse to continue to grow professionally within the organization.

But the changes that were made in our workplace were awesome, because we were the ones that knew what was wrong and how we wanted it to be fixed.

All very admirable goals in your well thought out post.

However, I believe the OP is saying that we have plenty on our plate as it is, and that such activities (admirable as they may be) should be strictly voluntary for each individual.

In other words, lead this particular horse to water, but stop trying to force my head down into the stream.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I hear ya. I just went part time for a while, in part, so I can catch up on education. You're right, nobody really has time for this **** unless you have no hobbies, no family, and no life.

[FLmomof5]

No matter what they call it....

When you require that an employee "work for free" as part of their evaluation, it is then "part of the job"...and working for free is illegal and by any other name.....is still SLAVERY.

Only when a unified group stands up to the practice and calls it what it is....will it stop.

They train you for this (working for free) beginning in NS - required Comm Svc hours to pass. Nurses need to quit doing these things to ourselves. How many engineers have to "volunteer"? Ans: none.

All of this is, of course, MHO.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

I like to be involved. I don't particularly like coming in on my days off but when I do, I clock in. Sometimes the meetings (Pharmacy committee) are on the days I work and they serve lunch. If the day goes smoothly, the charge nurse or manager will relieve me so I can go. I don't clock out as it is a working lunch. Pharmacy and nursing works together to make changes that benefit everyone.

I was the unit educator on my other unit. A thankless job but I learned a lot. As far as the Nurse practice committee, it is nice to be able to influence policy. It does happen. I have seen things bend in the nurses favor because we were there to defend our (floor nurses) point. It is nice because it is not just "pen-pushers" making policy.

We have the clinical ladder too. And, yes, being on committees helps with the point system. This is extra pay in addition to any annual pay raises we may get. I volunteer at a free clinic which does give me points but I did this on my own even before the clinical ladder was in place.

I know committees aren't for everyone. I live relatively close to my hospital and don't have small children so it is easier for me to go. I am not juggling school and a full time job (anymore!). I am not a single parent. I know people have lives and priorities making being involved impossible if not difficult. As far as scheduling, the meetings are on set days every month so you are able to fill out your schedule so you can attend some of them.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Shared governance, which does meet a Magnet requirement, also gives nurses a voice in the running of your hospital.

Shared governance works if there's actually "shared governance." I believe at most facilities though, they just pretend it's "shared governance." Any committees that actually have power to make changes get assigned the nurses that will parrot whatever the powers that be want them to say. Then they get told that as "leaders" they have to be supportive of whatever BS is being pushed through.

[chloecatrn]

Shared governance works if there's actually "shared governance." I believe at most facilities though, they just pretend it's "shared governance." Any committees that actually have power to make changes get assigned the nurses that will parrot whatever the powers that be want them to say. Then they get told that as "leaders" they have to be supportive of whatever BS is being pushed through.

Ha! I was the loudest, most obnoxious voice of dissent on one of our shared governance councils. They certainly got their hands full when they got me.

A PP said that the clinical ladder should be optional. I missed that it wasn't optional for the OP. That, in my opinion, is ridiculous. If you're not into research and committees, then you shouldn't have to participate. We still got our annual performance bonus. However, the people who worked their way up the ladder got a nice hefty pay raise -- big enough that I, who had been perfectly content sucking it up, shutting up, and doing my job -- engineered a research project, picked a committee and started climbing rungs.