Nurses at Scripps Encinitas Hospital in San Diego County California have filed a petition to Decertify the California Nurses Association.
The California Nurses Association have made several unsuccessful attempts to strike at the hospital and have failed to garner enough support among staff nurses.
A copy of the petition is available from the National Labor Relations Board or download the petition now at http://www.stopunions.com
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of "Silkwood".
Karen Silkwood died in a mysterious car accident. Is this a threat? This is a forum to voice and respect each others opinions. We do not have to agree. This is a forum for nursing professionals. Nurses do not threaten or coerce other nurses.
Karen Silkwood died in a mysterious car accident. Is this a threat?
There are no words to describe.......you can't be serious.....????????????
If serious, maybe you should check your rampant paranoia at the door.
(The last time that I laughed this hard at someone blowing a benign comment out of proportion on this BB, was when I used the phrase, "The pot calling the kettle black"....and got told that I was satanic and racist).
Quite frankly, Sherwood, we have more to worry about (from big business hospitals) than you do from pro union sympathizers (of which, I am not one).
But then I am not anti union. I am merely pro-nurses.
Perhaps, the movie, "Coma" should be the movie of the month
Funny, I do not work in a unionized hospital. If asked to work overtime and I do not want to all I have to do is say "NO". it works everytime all the time. I get no flack or fall out. My review does not suffer. My managers do not give me a dirty look.
Sherwood, R.N.
That's fabulous. I currently work in a similar situation, although when they last threatened to cut insurance benefits the employees threatened union and in the end the threats of cutting benefits went by the wayside. And strangely the union backed out at the 11th hour.
Having said this, I'm going to make a guess here, but my guess is that if there weren't managers out there who would threaten to turn you into the BON or fire you for not staying late or coming in on your day off or replace you with unlicensed personnell (and other rediculous management expectations/decisions); there'd be no such thing as nursing unions because nurses wouldn't need them. Strange that others have acknowledged that with you while you seem to continue to insist that unions shouldn't exist no matter how abusive mngmt is.
When it is my turn to float ( a rare occurence ) I am floated within my "pod" or area of training. I also get a set maximum number of patients consistant or better than the "ratio's" the CNA is demanding. I am an ICU/CCU/Trauma trained nurse, so I only float to the telemetry unit, the neuro stepdown unit or the ER. I would never be asked to float to mother/baby or L&D.
I can't believe I missed this initially...Do you doubt that there are admin who would insist that take the assignment? Ok, let's say you have management that would tell you that you have to; do you refuse, quit, or just give in and do it? Now if they say that you are fired for not floating (assuming you feel totally incompetent in the L&D setting)...What then? This is a possible scenario that if you have no union representation you are job hunting; with a union you're protected.
Karen Silkwood died in a mysterious car accident. Is this a threat? This is a forum to voice and respect each others opinions. We do not have to agree. This is a forum for nursing professionals. Nurses do not threaten or coerce other nurses.
There are no words to describe.......you can't be serious.....????????????
If serious, maybe you should check your rampant paranoia at the door.
(The last time that I laughed this hard at someone blowing a benign comment out of proportion on this BB, was when I used the phrase, "The pot calling the kettle black"....and got told that I was satanic and racist).
Don't pay too much attention to it. I notice that when the union opponents can't come up with legitimate arguments, they try to twist things around and claim the union is "threatening" people. They'll take the most benign statements and try to make it look like something that, obviously, it's not.
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
That's fabulous. I currently work in a similar situation, a
I can't believe I missed this initially...Do you doubt that there are admin who would insist that take the assignment? Ok, let's say you have management that would tell you that you have to; do you refuse, quit, or just give in and do it? Now if they say that you are fired for not floating (assuming you feel totally incompetent in the L&D setting)...What then? This is a possible scenario that if you have no union representation you are job hunting; with a union you're protected.
I believe that any manager or the nurse for that matter would be absolute fools to make or accept such an assignment. Check your hospitals policy and procedure manuals, I am sure you will find a clear description on floating including who floats where and when. In my facility each area has an assigned "pod", Critical-Care nurses float to Emergency Services, the Telemetry/Stepdown unit or our Neuro DOU. L&D to Post Partum or Mother Baby. Peds ICU Nurses to the Peds floor. Emergency Services Nurses do not float as OR Nurses do not float. It's clear, concise and you know when you sign on. Also per-deims float first, then part time and finally full time. It has truly been years since I have heard of any of our full time staff floating. In the last year we have a "resource pool" of nurses that has decreased the chance of floating even more.
If you know your policies and you get asked (or told) to take an assignment that is not safe or out of your area of expertise, the answer is a firm but professional "no".
Floating is my pet peeve in nursing. Just because it's in your pod, doesn't mean it's safe. We get PICU floats to our NICU and we've had several incidents because of it. I'm lucky that I've never had to float. Our contract says travellers and agency have to float before staff.
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
Floating is my pet peeve in nursing. Just because it's in your pod, doesn't mean it's safe. We get PICU floats to our NICU and we've had several incidents because of it. I'm lucky that I've never had to float. Our contract says travellers and agency have to float before staff.
I agree, I hate to float and the managers know it. Luckily there are a few who do not mind it and volunteer sometimes. Our resource/float pool has helped as well, thats what they were hired to do.
When I have floated everyone is greatful and very helpful in making sure I know where things are. The teamwork makes things better, usually the unit manager comes out to say thanks even though she does not have to.
I agree, I hate to float and the managers know it. Luckily there are a few who do not mind it and volunteer sometimes. Our resource/float pool has helped as well, thats what they were hired to do.
When I have floated everyone is greatful and very helpful in making sure I know where things are. The teamwork makes things better, usually the unit manager comes out to say thanks even though she does not have to.
Sherwood
At Long Beach Memorial, before we had CNA we had apolicy that said we would only float to "like areas" we called it "cluster floating". In our CNA contract it says we can float anywhere we get orientation. So CNA did not make it so we don't have float!
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
At Long Beach Memorial, before we had CNA we had apolicy that said we would only float to "like areas" we called it "cluster floating". In our CNA contract it says we can float anywhere we get orientation. So CNA did not make it so we don't have float!
Like I said before, I hate floating. Your situation sounds worse. One other thing I forgot to mention, when I do float, I am NEVER assigned more than four patients if I am floated to a unit outside of the ICU/CCU. If I am floated to a "stepdown" unit or DOU (direct observation unit) I will only be responsible for three. My home is the ICU/CCU and there I get only two, 1:1 is very common since we are a trauma center and we do CABG's and other open heart procedures and I am open heart and trauma trained.
Full time nurses rarely float, since my last post I checked the float list. It has been over four years since a full time person floated as far as I can see in my unit. I am "per diem" status that is why I floated last year.
So Nancy, I would not want to be in your situation. I have my "comfort zone" and it sounds like your situation would put me way, way out of mine.
I believe that any manager or the nurse for that matter would be absolute fools to make or accept such an assignment. Check your hospitals policy and procedure manuals, I am sure you will find a clear description on floating including who floats where and when. In my facility each area has an assigned "pod", Critical-Care nurses float to Emergency Services, the Telemetry/Stepdown unit or our Neuro DOU. L&D to Post Partum or Mother Baby. Peds ICU Nurses to the Peds floor. Emergency Services Nurses do not float as OR Nurses do not float. It's clear, concise and you know when you sign on. Also per-deims float first, then part time and finally full time. It has truly been years since I have heard of any of our full time staff floating. In the last year we have a "resource pool" of nurses that has decreased the chance of floating even more.
If you know your policies and you get asked (or told) to take an assignment that is not safe or out of your area of expertise, the answer is a firm but professional "no".
Again, that is very good for where you and I work, but would you mind answering my question? I've asked 3 or 4 so far in this thread and have not gotten a direct response to any of them. About the only response I've read so far is that when you have reasonable management you can go about your business of caring for patients.
You and others are anti unions and that is all good, but I want to know how y'all have done anything when dealing with poor management. Do you deny bad admin exists? I mean, for an admin who wants to replace RNs with unlicensed staff (or no staff at all) do you think they care if you feel comfortable floating to the L&D as an ICU RN? Do you doubt they even exist and the people who speak of such admin are lying?
While I don't think you have directly said this, I believe anti union people believe there is no place for nursing unions (or any kind of union) in this country. So now I want to see how nonunions deal with poor management, and don't bother with responding with "just say no". It didn't work with Nancy Reagan and it won't work for the management I'm referring to. I'm not an undereducated consumer who can't read between the lines, please don't treat me as one. If you, and others, have had no experience with the management I've spoken of, just be honest and say so. But if you have, share your experiences because they can be valuable tools for others who are in similar situations and don't know what to do.
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
Again, that is very good for where you and I work, but would you mind answering my question? I've asked 3 or 4 so far in this thread and have not gotten a direct response to any of them. About the only response I've read so far is that when you have reasonable management you can go about your business of caring for patients.
You and others are anti unions and that is all good, but I want to know how y'all have done anything when dealing with poor management. Do you deny bad admin exists? I mean, for an admin who wants to replace RNs with unlicensed staff (or no staff at all) do you think they care if you feel comfortable floating to the L&D as an ICU RN? Do you doubt they even exist and the people who speak of such admin are lying?
While I don't think you have directly said this, I believe anti union people believe there is no place for nursing unions (or any kind of union) in this country. So now I want to see how nonunions deal with poor management, and don't bother with responding with "just say no". It didn't work with Nancy Reagan and it won't work for the management I'm referring to. I'm not an undereducated consumer who can't read between the lines, please don't treat me as one. If you, and others, have had no experience with the management I've spoken of, just be honest and say so. But if you have, share your experiences because they can be valuable tools for others who are in similar situations and don't know what to do.
You ask a fair question and here is my answer. I have worked for an unreasonable manager. Maybe not as unreasonable as you and I have worked for bad management who attempted cost cutting measures that were "short sighted" at best.
I make every attempt to keep up with staffing rules and laws. I think everyone should understand that so no one can pull the wool over your eyes. I feel every employee should understand float policy, staffing ratio's and the like. It is NOT just your bosses job to know these things.
I was floated to a unit that I was perfectly capable of working in. My assignment was a little heavy to begin with and one patient in particular just got worse. My charge nurse informed me that I would be getting another patient soon. I quickly assessed the situation and said that would be impossible because I needed to spend more time with my sickest patient. She ignored me I guess because soon I was called to take report. I again informed the charge nurse that I would not be taking another patient. While she pondered this I was calling first the physician to report a change in condition and request orders. Then I called my manager to tell him what kind of problems I was having. I stood my ground and just kept working, I smiled when I could and was as pleasant as can be. I never took that new patient and only hours later found out who did.
I will flat out not take an unsafe or unreasonable assignment. I will not float to L&D. I am prepared to go to the wall with that as you must be too. I know the rules and won't budge on them. I would use words like " you are asking me to accept and assignment that is unsafe?" If a situation deteriorates enlist the help of your fellow nurses, that is what we are here for, to help the patients and to help each other.
I know bad management exists, I also know that some people believe that pensions and healthcare benefits are a right not a benefit. I am sure that bad management exists, I also believe that employees can change things by organizing, not unionizing. I am strongly against forced unionization. It should be MY CHOICE whether I want to belong and pay dues. I strongly oppose the "union security clause" the CNA demands in every contract. If you want the CNA to be "your voice" fine. I absolutely do not want them to be mine.
Sherwood
223 Posts
Karen Silkwood died in a mysterious car accident. Is this a threat? This is a forum to voice and respect each others opinions. We do not have to agree. This is a forum for nursing professionals. Nurses do not threaten or coerce other nurses.