CONTINUED IN WHAT IS THE MAJOR REASON Why are they all leaving?

Gromit · Nov 23, 2006

I certainly wont argue that the manufacturers have design flaws that they refused to fix (most likely for financial reasons -not that this is a good excuse) and I've cursed the engineers from time to time when I've had to work on one of my vehicles at one time or another -because of what I see as design flaws. (hell, Honda is getting ready to do battle in court with a class action lawsuit aginst them because of some steering bearings in their VTX motorcycle line -I own one of these bikes, but I'm not part of the suit) -they've known for years that they had problems, but refused to address them -and its about to be addressed by owners of the bikes.

Anyway, in any case, if my facility were to have a union vote, I'd vote for it. Though in all honesty, my facility seems to treat us pretty well, there are a few things that really should be addressed and they won't. Some of them are safety related (for the patient, and by default, for OUR licenses) others are just the usual disparities in pay or benefits, etc. But I think that by and large, if the nurses DID unite, we would have a very loud voice. After all, without nurses, the docs wouldn't be able to be looked upon in such a nice light, and the hospital could not function.

PANurseRN1 · Nov 23, 2006

Be easy on yourself. Don't quit yet. What you need to do is time log yourself in the briefest notation that will adequately jog your memory. Then sit down with the most efficient nurse on your shift and analyze it with her. You would be absolutely amazed at how much time you waste. I'm not criticizing you, I learned this about myself. I thought I was pretty efficient but when I analyzed my time utilization it turned out I wasn't at all efficient. BTW, PRN is hard. Part of your overhead is local knowledge. It will take you longer to know, on all the floors you get sent to, the little snippets of knowledge that can make you fast, like knowing where every item and form is located. So take it even easier on yourself for working PRN.

With all due respect, you are not a nurse, so you really don't have the knowledge and skills to advise someone who is a nurse how she should better organize herself.

Sheri257 · Nov 23, 2006

What a coincidence ... my husband has a VTX. We haven't had any problems with bike and absolutely love it. But still, I'll have to ask him about this lawsuit.

:smokin:

Gromit · Nov 23, 2006

It regards the steering bearings on the VTX 1300 series.

The site that mentioned it was Honda VTX Owners (vtx owners assoc.)

VTXOA / VTXRiders.com :: View topic - Class action suit - What did I get myself into?

I have a 2005 R-series Magenta. The bike is pretty heavily modified, with a Kuryakyn (sp) Hi-5 breather, jetted, slip-on cobras and a number of other performance, and eye-candy things :) In any case, she's a beaut, and hasn't had any issues. I'm very happy with the bike. But the steering issue is a 1300 issue only. It seems they used weaker bearings in the 1300 (though the beefier slanted ones found in the 1800 work just fine in the 1300, and most who replace their bearings, replace them themselves and use the 1800 ones).

I love to ride, and its the latest in my two-wheel interests.

Have a brother who is a civil engineer (pe) and together, we are designing and hoping to build a two-wheel VW-Aircooled engine based motorcycle. Its giving us a fair amount of headaches tho, but I'm confident we can get it done.

Meanwhile, a three-wheeler (also VW Aircool-based) is in the works, and we plan to have a family motorcycle trip around July of '08 that spans Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and South Dakota. At least thats the idea so far. If the 2-wheeler works out fairly well, and feels stable, I'll likely ride it up there -otherwise it will be the three-wheeler.

My wife rides an 883 hugger (harley sportster).

Macrhys · Nov 23, 2006

I agree with Mulan, you do not have the necessary knowledge or background to make an educated comment. The news media have never had a realistic take on anything, and I am unhappy about your fictional scenario. Please do not make inaccurate comparisons, unless you are a real RN please do not make up situations or comment.

Sheri257 · Nov 23, 2006

Your words got me thinking. I just wonder how long it would have taken for women to get the vote, if the suffragettes hadn't said to themselves "enough is enough, I'm not going to take this any more" , stopped wallowing in their "powerlessness" and fought, and changed the system. The odds were against them, but they achieved it none the less. If you are not part of the solution, you are just enabling the situation to continue. Just a thought.

That's an interesting comparison, actually, and there's a lot of lessons for nursing in all of this.

As it turns out, the women's suffrage movement didn't gain much traction until "radical" members of the national organization complained that they weren't doing enough and broke off to form their own independent group. These radicals took to the streets and screamed bloody murder until they got the right to vote.

If you notice, the same thing is happening today. The ANA has not gotten much done with ratio laws or, anything else for that matter. This is why the "radicals" in California, CNA, broke off from the ANA in 1992.

These "radicals" in California are also the only ones who've gotten a ratio law passed in this country ... probably because they broke off from the ANA so they could get things done.

:typing

Barb101 · Nov 23, 2006

Hello Hillflower

I take heart in what you say should you choose nursing as a calling you will be a great nurse why because you care. I allways wanted to be a nurse from when I was a little girl I used to play the nurse in Drs & nurses but 2 children & marriage altered my ideals and dreams. However with a failed marriage & now working as a nurse I can now see a future. Sure its not all a bed of roses but I have been a people person all my life & this profession gives me the oportunity to interact uplift the weak in body & soul which really recharges me to continue against all the evil within the hospital system which seems opressive & is at times. I always go back to why I started nursing in the 1st place when I feel down its because I want to give my best so that my pts get to again live, love & resume a life for their loved ones & themselves. My greatest satifaction is to see pt who heal so well they leave hospital early & with a smile. Smiles are infectious by the way!:chuckle

One uplifting moment early in my career is when I was nursing a miiddle aged man who was a challenge to other nurses but for me he would comply with what ever I asked him to do. What did I do reflecting back on this incidient I can really remember but I do know I spent time with him just talking and I was busy on that day too as I had an arrest. Hey from quite ordinary time to hell within a shift but still leaving my calling that day with my heart full as I knew I gave it my all but gee I was tired!

Again to all the nurses who care & treat this profession as a calling on our finial breath St Pete will give us all pedicures, facials & pedicures & we really will know where we are HEAVEN.

tntech1 · Nov 24, 2006

No comparison! If you have not worked on a medsurg floor as an RN then you do NOT know what we are talking about, and you are in no position to offer advice.

As an outsider looking in, you need to do something that has you less up tight. Everyone has something stressful to deal with, and begining a RN does not make yours special. Someone can be sympathetic to your issues. No, I am not a nurse if that's your next question, but I do have common sense. Everyone knows nurses have a very difficult job, but this is the career you have chosen. The person you are upset with is not on this post. You might need to apologize:crying2: :crying2:

fd5151 · Nov 24, 2006

No comparison! If you have not worked on a medsurg floor as an RN then you do NOT know what we are talking about, and you are in no position to offer advice.

I am a medsurg student, working my 3rd year on the clinical floor and found totally agree with you. The newsroom is no comparison, sorry. Go ahead, use the bathroom, so that when EMS comes to medivac your patient out and you haven't finished initiating a new iv site site because he pulled out and the discharge sheet isn't completed, you're going to give the spiel about the bathroom break? I just had a day on the floor i felt good about because i had to get all these things done without getting the break that i would have liked to have but that is just the reality of med/surg floor and giving other coworkers or consultants spiels about bathroom break rights just isn't realistic when things are crazy. I think you are missing that it isn't that nurses don't know how to take care of themselves it is quite simply that the reality of the med/surg means deadlines that can't be compromised and that can arise unexpectedly and that simply have to be done now, not 5 minutes later, but now. And if you can't deal with that then sure, try looking in another field.:nuke: Once you actually do get up there, you will understand. I heard alot of students proclaim various self-righteous statements before hitting the floor, about the exisiting nursing staff, the work conditions, etc. Once you are actually doing their job, wearing their shoes, then you can talk. It never looks good (or is very much appreciated when you try to tell people who probably have alot of insight into why they do what they do) that they need to change. Especially without any experience yourself. It usually doesn't go over well :)

hope3456, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2006

Yes you are, and yes you will.
We were all once eager and excited about our new careers in nursing. There is a reason for the so-called shortage. Nurses are leaving because conditions are intolerable.Believe me, thousands of nurses have been doing their best and have been trying to make the best of impossible situations everywhere.
Saying that nursing is "what you make it" is a meaningless statement.
You haven't been there so you can't understand where we are coming from. One day, you will.

I like the way you think, HELLLO nurse. I worked as a CNA b/f and during nursing school. The best thing that came of it was i became aware of the *crap* involved - and better know what to expect from management/ the system now that I am a RN. I better know how to navigate it (the system) and nothing shocks me. Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I hadn't had that previous 'conditioning.' If only I could do things over........

fd5151 · Nov 24, 2006

As an outsider looking in, you need to do something that has you less up tight. Everyone has something stressful to deal with, and begining a RN does not make yours special. Someone can be sympathetic to your issues. No, I am not a nurse if that's your next question, but I do have common sense. Everyone knows nurses have a very difficult job, but this is the career you have chosen. The person you are upset with is not on this post. You might need to apologize:crying2: :crying2:

Sorry but the not being an RN does make a big difference. I would have none that without you saying so when you said she needs to do something that has her less uptight!

She isn't uptight, she is frustrated that until you actually work the floor you can't begin to understand how difficult it is. I have worked many different jobs, most of them did have a high level of stress but nursing is entirely different because of the heatlh issues and you can't understand the true complexity of that until you actually feel the weight of that responsibility.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2006

The upside about being so busy that you can't take a bathroom break, is that you probably have not consumed any liquid either, so you are less likely to need to go. Of course when you notice your urine is bright orange, you might want to look at your intake!