Coronavirus and Pay

[Marianna5]

Hello Everybody,

I expect the working conditions to deteriorate soon. I do not feel we are compensated enough for what this epidemic will bring. My childcare cost will go up providing anybody wants to watch my kids knowing I take care of very sick people.

Please share your thoughts on this topic. Thank you.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I typed a few responses ... erased. Typed again.

I’m going to respond in that you are stressed. I get it. However, we work in hurricanes. Snow storms. Flu outbreaks. I don’t do this as a calling; it’s a job. But it’s a job that I knew the risks. A flu pandemic (or contagious illness) isn’t something unexpected.

Take the necessary precautions. Wear your PPE. I trust my employer and hence, I’m still here. I don’t expect to be overly compensated; just protect me and I’ll protect and care for my patients (as I do everyday).

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

We've had tons of call outs and they're relying on people coming in and picking up, I wouldn't mind seeing the incentive pay increased for that extra risk...

[Marianna5]

Schools are closed. I am loosing a babysitter. She feels it is too risky to watch our kids and come to our house. Grandparents are not watching our kids any longer for their own safety. I reached the point where I don't care about the money and the job. My biggest fear is if we both get sick, who is going to take care of the kids?

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

43 minutes ago, Marianna5 said:

Schools are closed. I am loosing a babysitter. She feels it is too risky to watch our kids and come to our house. Grandparents are not watching our kids any longer for their own safety. I reached the point where I don't care about the money and the job. My biggest fear is if we both get sick, who is going to take care of the kids?

If you are in a position to leave, leave.

Many families can not; I truly feel for many; I believe 8,000 people signed up for unemployment in my state this past week. These are hard times.

I have to say, you asked about compensation initially. Now you’re saying you don’t care about the money. I get where you’re going; but make an educated, and not merely emotional, decision. It’s gotta be hard with a little one. My neighborhood has banded together; NextDoor has really exploded with kind offers. Explore the options.

[Kitiger, RN]

Do you have any nurse friends with kids? Maybe you could band together? At least you would be more likely to have someone who understands infection control.

[Wuzzie]

The medical students here have banded together to offer all kinds of services while their clinicals have been suspended but they are staying on campus in case of disaster (which we are rapidly heading for). They are doing child care, errands, elder care, etc. Personally I think it's brilliant plus it fulfills their volunteer requirement.

[toomuchbaloney]

Trump is going to Yang the population...expect some cash

[Marianna5]

Sorry, I am feeling very stressed out right now. My husband works at the ED. I am a cancer survivor. We do have mortgage, etc.

I do believe the employers should offer not only reassurance but pay increase depending on work load and workman's compensation for people who get sick.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

14 minutes ago, Marianna5 said:

Sorry, I am feeling very stressed out right now. My husband works at the ED. I am a cancer survivor. We do have mortgage, etc.

I do believe the employers should offer not only reassurance but pay increase depending on work load and workman's compensation for people who get sick.

I get it. I absolutely get it. It’s ... not a good feeling. You’re not alone out there. I’m all for the pay increase ... for the mail man and grocery workers too. This sucks.

There’s a lot of good suggestions out there. I hope you find something that works for you and your family.

[NedRN]

No pay increases for staff. Kind of sucks that travel nursing is booming right now as hospitals try to muscle up, and supply and demand means pay is going up. I'd like to take advantage of that (I'm already a traveler), but the pandemic means elective surgeries are going to drop off a cliff and the OR is my specialty. But most specialties are in big demand.

[Cozy LifeRN]

Greetings fellow nurses! I work for a large hospital in NC and they are utilizing "Pop-Up Daycares" to assist in caring for the children and older adult population of our essential bed-side nurses.

They have requested nurses who are willing to come back to the bedside to do so, from admissions/discharge assistance to NT's and RN's.

I work on the Pulmonary Progressive unit for a very large hospital. We have been short-staffed since we went Progressive, changed from "step-down" 3 pts per RN to 5 pts per RN. Unless you are an ICU RN, then you do not have to take more than 4 pt.s on our unit. I am just outside my first year of nursing and I am expected to care for 5 pts. It doesn't make sense when I get pt. report from a 17-year Cardiac ICU RN veteran who feels "unsafe" with 4 pts. yet the unit gives me 5 patients.

I definitely feel I am on the Front lines and in the Hot Zone. I am one of the lowest-paid employees with the least amount of experience expected to handle and care for more pt's who have the highest likely-hood of the very virus shutting down the country...really?

I am not even ACLS certified yet. The Residency Program messed up scheduling and never bothered to get me the education for a multitude of certifications usually attained during the program. I've been waiting for a class.

I know how to do the PPE and how to follow the CDC Guidelines. The virus is not my issue, it is the already existing nursing shortage that is about to become exponentially worse that will push me into taking on more than I can handle safely with no options. If coverage doesn't show up, I am still under a duty to care. How long do I have to stay, is there a limit? What if there are nurses call out and my pt load becomes 6 or even 7 progressive pts? Not to mention the NT shortage, so then I have to do the toileting, VS's, glucose checks, etc. It is simply not possible. I am not above any of it, I physically cannot do it all alone for that level of acuity. It is not just me either, we have more new RN's than experienced ones on our unit.

I need to know my rights and at what point can I say this is unsafe and I will not jeopardize my patients, myself or my license. I searched NCBON to no avail. Like most resources out there, I haven't had enough time to learn how to research and learn where to find things or even the right questions to ask.