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
I think the only problem is when hospital policy allows unsafe acts (like floating nurses to specialties they are unsafe in). The individual nurse can still refuse, but then she is risking losing her job. That wouldn't be a huge problem for me, but some nurses don't feel they can risk that and take the assignment. I'm lucky in that travellers and registry float before regular staff (I believe that's part of the contract) so I have never had to float at my current job and I've been here over a year.
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
I think the only problem is when hospital policy allows unsafe acts (like floating nurses to specialties they are unsafe in). The individual nurse can still refuse, but then she is risking losing her job. That wouldn't be a huge problem for me, but some nurses don't feel they can risk that and take the assignment. I'm lucky in that travellers and registry float before regular staff (I believe that's part of the contract) so I have never had to float at my current job and I've been here over a year.
You hit the nail on the head fergus51. Many feel that if they don't accept the unsafe assignment they will lose their jobs. I would rather lose my job than risk someones life.
You hit the nail on the head fergus51. Many feel that if they don't accept the unsafe assignment they will lose their jobs. I would rather lose my job than risk someones life.
Darned right!
This is why the CNA teaches how to avoid unsafe assignments.
Say, "I refuse" and you can be fired for insubordination. Even if the hospital was violating the law. Having nurses plan to say, "I would, if I could, but I can't because..." prepares them before the situation arises.
I do think it is the managers responsibility to know Title 22 regulations required for hospital licensure. It is their job to staff according to the law.
When they just bring more patients to the unit you have no choice other than to do the best you can.
Filling out an "Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) puts the facility on notice that they NOT the nurses are responsible for harm to the patients due to undsafe staffing.
The ADO can be evidence in court.
Recently I was asked to sent a registry nurse home after a patient death. It was 3:00 am when overtime pay begins. I told the supervisor it would be impossible to safely and legally take an admit from ER or an in-house code. I was told, "If she were staff she could stay, but registry is too costly.
Well cost is not a reason to staff unsafely. Presented with the ADO signed by all staff, even respiratory, she was allowed to stay.
We got both a fresh MI from ER and a post arrest from med-surg in the last two hours of the shift. We were able to do what was needed because of the education and preparation of the CNA. AND if retaliated against we would have representation. As it happened all was well.
We on my unit worked together for many years before we decided to call the CNA after a for profit company came in with zero concern for patient care. Zero respect for nursing work. We were considered to be a business expense. I feel blessed to work with my colleagues. We have worked together for tens of thousands of hours. Our life is safe, therapeutic, effective patient care. Without the CNA I would be doing private duty. Our amazing team would have been destroyed.
All hospitals pay dues the their union the Hospital Association or Healthcare Association depending on the state.
Here in California this association spent millions of dollars fighting safe staffing ratios for years. They continue to do so. They gave $$$ to the Governor and he is unrelenting in fighting safe staffing with illegal "Emergency regulations". The emergency? Safe staffing in ERs and med-surg units.
This is why the CNA teaches how to avoid unsafe assignments.
Say, "I refuse" and you can be fired for insubordination. Even if the hospital was violating the law. Having nurses plan to say, "I would, if I could, but I can't because..." prepares them before the situation arises.
I do think it is the managers responsibility to know Title 22 regulations required for hospital licensure. It is their job to staff according to the law.
When they just bring more patients to the unit you have no choice other than to do the best you can.
Filling out an "Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) puts the facility on notice that they NOT the nurses are responsible for harm to the patients due to undsafe staffing.
The ADO can be evidence in court.
Recently I was asked to sent a registry nurse home after a patient death. It was 3:00 am when overtime pay begins. I told the supervisor it would be impossible to safely and legally take an admit from ER or an in-house code. I was told, "If she were staff she could stay, but registry is too costly.
Well cost is not a reason to staff unsafely. Presented with the ADO signed by all staff, even respiratory, she was allowed to stay.
We got both a fresh MI from ER and a post arrest from med-surg in the last two hours of the shift. We were able to do what was needed because of the education and preparation of the CNA. AND if retaliated against we would have representation. As it happened all was well.
We on my unit worked together for many years before we decided to call the CNA after a for profit company came in with zero concern for patient care. Zero respect for nursing work. We were considered to be a business expense. I feel blessed to work with my colleagues. We have worked together for tens of thousands of hours. Our life is safe, therapeutic, effective patient care. Without the CNA I would be doing private duty. Our amazing team would have been destroyed.
All hospitals pay dues the their union the Hospital Association or Healthcare Association depending on the state.
Here in California this association spent millions of dollars fighting safe staffing ratios for years. They continue to do so. They gave $$$ to the Governor and he is unrelenting in fighting safe staffing with illegal "Emergency regulations". The emergency? Safe staffing in ERs and med-surg units.
Spacenurse,
I do agree with you that "it is the managers responsibility to know Title 22 regulations required for hospital licensure. It is their job to staff according to the law."
However, I don't feel I need to pay $80.00 TO $100.00/month in dues for the CNA to teach me how to say NO. Your decisions regarding staffing that you, as a group, made as described above were exactly correct. Good for you. You all supported each other. You don't need to pay dues to get support from your fellow nurses. That is what we should all do whether we are in a union or not.
There are other ways to get help. Joining a union is just one way. The most important thing we can all do is to have open communication and sharing what works for us.
One clarification I'd like to make is about the California Hospital Association. You referred to them as a union which is not acurate. It is an Association. The California Nurses Association, conversely, IS a union and not an association as it USED to be, many years ago and it makes you pay mandatory dues.
It is not mandatory for hospitals to join the CHA. I'm sure hospitals pay an anual membership fee of some sort. They may have given money to the Governor................just as I'm sure the CNA has given money to the many legislators who support their efforts. BOTH sides lobby and BOTH sides have money donated to them. And let's not forget Ralph Nader, who ran for President years ago with support from the CNA and now he is supporting them........and the beat goes on. THAT'S POLITICS. Let's not get caught in the middle by either side.
There is nothing wrong with hospitals being concerned about the ratios especially when the nursing shortage is increasing and the budget for recruiting and retaining nurses increases along with it. They have every right to ask for a time to study the effects of the current ratios before we squeeze it any tighter. I have never had the impression that they were trying to "get rid of ratios." They just need to have them more flexible and not as restrictive due to the very nature of our work.
You hit the nail on the head fergus51. Many feel that if they don't accept the unsafe assignment they will lose their jobs. I would rather lose my job than risk someones life.
We definitely agree on that one! I had actually never even heard of floating before I moved to the US as a new grad years ago. Everywhere I have worked in Canada, each unit staffed itself so it was never an issue. I'm sure smaller hospitals do float, but I never experienced it myself. This is one of the only reasons I choose to be regular staff rather than work as a traveller. Since they have to float first, I'm safe.
. You don't need to pay dues to get support from your fellow nurses. That is what we should all do whether we are in a union or not.
This struck me and I have to ask: Have you worked many different nursing jobs? Unfortunately in my experience, this is not the reality in MANY hospitals. I agree it should be, but I haven't seen it happen on the units that need it most. On those units nurses start taking out their frustration on eachother more often than not and even if they care about their fellow nurses, they don't have the time or the guts to stand up and refuse to accept one more patient on the floor.
We definitely agree on that one! I had actually never even heard of floating before I moved to the US as a new grad years ago. Everywhere I have worked in Canada, each unit staffed itself so it was never an issue. I'm sure smaller hospitals do float, but I never experienced it myself. This is one of the only reasons I choose to be regular staff rather than work as a traveller. Since they have to float first, I'm safe.
It is funny I was thinking we never float - but then I realized that we actually do because I work OB, acute care, pp, ER, etc. But it isn't called "floating" it is called rural nursing. :)
It is funny I was thinking we never float - but then I realized that we actually do because I work OB, acute care, pp, ER, etc. But it isn't called "floating" it is called rural nursing. :)
steph
One of the reasons I don't do rural nursing! :chuckle Way too stressful for me.
Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care, Trauma, Neuro..
This week on July 27th and 28th, the Nurses of Scripps Encinitas Hospital in Sunny Southern California will vote on Decertification of the California Nurses Association. According to the rules, a "NO" vote is a vote to Decertify and remove the CNA. A yes vote is a vote for the union, signifying a desire to remain unionized and continue with the status quo,whatever that may be.
I started this post as a way to help spread the word that not all nurses desire to become unionized or in the case of Scripps Encinitas and St. Vincents Hospital in Los Angeles to remain unionized. I am sure that the CNA would not have advertized this fact and would have kept it out of the press if at all possible. I believe knowlege is power and communication is extremely important.
My position on nursing unions is clear. What I want to make even clearer is my belief that as nurses we do great things each and every moment of each and everyday. We do this effectively and we often do this with little or no fanfare. We remain calm under the worst of circumstances and we can communicate with few words and often just a nod or a wink.
I have not been a nurse all my life, it is a second career. It is a career I chose after years of watching, listening and admiring. I am proud to walk with you as one of you.
It is my strong belief in the power of nursing that has lead me to feel strongly that nurses can and will achieve great things without unionizing. The feelings voiced by all of you in these very pages proves it, you are all strong willed and equally strong minded. Your voices have been heard.
I thank all of you for letting me know how you feel,
This week on July 27th and 28th, the Nurses of Scripps Encinitas Hospital in Sunny Southern California will vote on Decertification of the California Nurses Association. According to the rules, a "NO" vote is a vote to Decertify and remove the CNA. A yes vote is a vote for the union, signifying a desire to remain unionized and continue with the status quo,whatever that may be.
I started this post as a way to help spread the word that not all nurses desire to become unionized or in the case of Scripps Encinitas and St. Vincents Hospital in Los Angeles to remain unionized. I am sure that the CNA would not have advertized this fact and would have kept it out of the press if at all possible. I believe knowlege is power and communication is extremely important.
My position on nursing unions is clear. What I want to make even clearer is my belief that as nurses we do great things each and every moment of each and everyday. We do this effectively and we often do this with little or no fanfare. We remain calm under the worst of circumstances and we can communicate with few words and often just a nod or a wink.
I have not been a nurse all my life, it is a second career. It is a career I chose after years of watching, listening and admiring. I am proud to walk with you as one of you.
It is my strong belief in the power of nursing that has lead me to feel strongly that nurses can and will achieve great things without unionizing. The feelings voiced by all of you in these very pages proves it, you are all strong willed and equally strong minded. Your voices have been heard.
I thank all of you for letting me know how you feel,
Sherwood
I second that and applaud all the nurses who speak for themselves!
However, I don't feel I need to pay $80.00 TO $100.00/month in dues for the CNA to teach me how to say NO. Your decisions regarding staffing that you, as a group, made as described above were exactly correct. Good for you. You all supported each other. You don't need to pay dues to get support from your fellow nurses. That is what we should all do whether we are in a union or not.
There are other ways to get help. Joining a union is just one way. The most important thing we can all do is to have open communication and sharing what works for us.
With all due respect, the issue is not a lack of assertiveness. At my facility and many others you would have the opportunity to refuse an admit or a float just once; subsequent to that refusal you would be counseled that future refusals would be regarded as insubordination and would result in termination of employment. And make no mistake, if it happened again you would be looking for another job.
Except for Montana we all live in at-will states. In the absence of a contract an employee can be terminated for any reason or no reason at all. (Certain exceptions to that doctrine exist and they vary from state/jurisdiction to state/jurisdiction; You'll need an local employment attorney for specifics.) But for the most part, the exceptions are rather narrow.
The point is, informal (noncontractual) support is not the same and can never be the same as contractual rights gained under collective bargaining with union representation. And you might have the right under the law to support each other and band together to improve working conditions without a union, but without a union your employer is under absolutely no obligation to bargain with you in good faith.
I believe that honest people can have genuine disagreement regarding the value or appropriateness of union representation. But I also believe that we should be clear that representation and contracts do give additional rights to workers which cannot be unilaterally changed and which can be enforced through the courts.
So you may not "need to pay $80/100 per month for the CNA to teach you to say No"......but many workers may very well need representation in order to say "no" more than once and remain on the job.
So you may not "need to pay $80/100 per month for the CNA to teach you to say No"......but many workers may very well need representation in order to say "no" more than once and remain on the job.
The funny thing is ... union opponents always focus on union dues but, in reality, you don't actually pay out anymore money in dues.
Because of the more favorable salaries that unions negotiate, union RN's make, on average, $7,000 a year more than non-union RN's, which more than covers the cost of the dues with an added net $6,000 a year salary benefit.
So, you're not actually paying $80-100 a month to say no or, anything else for that matter. What you do get is better salaries, retirement benefits, working conditions and, as you mentioned, job protection.
fergus51
6,620 Posts
I think the only problem is when hospital policy allows unsafe acts (like floating nurses to specialties they are unsafe in). The individual nurse can still refuse, but then she is risking losing her job. That wouldn't be a huge problem for me, but some nurses don't feel they can risk that and take the assignment. I'm lucky in that travellers and registry float before regular staff (I believe that's part of the contract) so I have never had to float at my current job and I've been here over a year.