Disrespectful ad against nurses on Craigslist

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

Ok guys, So I was helping my friend look for NP jobs on various job websites. I decided to look on Craigslist for ads. I search my city (Houston) for their medical job ads. I see an ad calling for 50 bussers needed for a wedding event facility (The Bell Tower on 34th is the name of the event facility). So I think to myself "why would an advertisement for bussers be in the medical section?" and LO AND BEHOLD.... this is what the ad said:

A Perfect job for Nursing Students! If you think like a Nurse this job is a match.

Our Goal Is To Deliver Excellent Events No One Will Ever Forget!

We have many exciting and rewarding career opportunities for leaders who want to be a part of creating spectacular one of a kind events. If a commitment to excellence, uncompromising quality, and world class customer service is important to you, then come join our team!

Accepting Applications for

BUSSERS -- with possibilities for growth and advancement

^^^ Yep... you read that right. I had to reread the first sentence a couple of times.

FIRST OF ALL, why would ONLY nurses be targeted?? Why not just say a perfect job for students? SECONDLY, nurses actually save lives, our care matters (unlike what our CEOs might say lol). Why would our schooling and knowledge be seen as equal to the skill set of a job that requires no education?

Needless to say, I wrote them a nasty email. I wrote:

Hello, I was just reading your ad. I am a nurse and I was wondering how cleaning up event spaces equate to "thinking like a nurse". What do you mean, exactly? Nurses do more than cleaning up after people. We handle critical patients and actually save lives. We deal with life and death situations. So I really urge your company to stop demeaning an entire profession and calling on our students, in particular, to feel like a simple task such as bussing, is the same with the critical thinking skills needed to be a Nurse. I will no longer support your event facility and will be sure to alert every nurse (and nursing website) I come across about your ad, if it is not rectified.

Regretfully,

A LIFE SAVING RN

I urge you to not support this company and if you know anyone in the HOuston area, please tell them to not support this company, as they clearly have such a low view of us. Am I overreacting? Am I justified for feeling "some type of way" about it??

[flyersfan88]

Yes, I didn't read all of the responses, particularly the ones stating that they put the same ad in multiple searches substituting the name of the profession at the time I posted that. That DID cross my mind that that was a possibility... but I responded to her post based on what she told us.

But... now that I have read more responses... I am even more amazed at the amount of (non-constructive) criticism and judgement offered, and the total lack of a basic empathy for fellow nurses, aka human-beings on here! I THOUGHT we were here to support and help eachother, REGARDLESS of if we are thinking someone is "overreacting" or whatever the case is... and even if someone DOES think that, shouldn't we offer that opinion in a more compassionate way and maybe offer some constructive feedback? But maybe I am wrong on that, idk...

Anyways, the original post stated she wanted feedback from members including if we thought SHE overreacted... and my original post was to do exactly that by trying to see it from multiple viewpoints (as you can tell from that post, I start off stating my original reaction as if I had just read the ad like she did, but as I continued to write, my viewpoint swayed as I thought of different things... in the end, concluding that in my opinion, it really wasn't worth it for her to worry over one way or another.) However... I did NOT ask for anyone's opinion (or YOUR'S) regarding if I was overreacting.

You put your opinion out on a public forum....you don't have to ask outwardly for someone else's opinion in order to get it.

We are humans, not compassion filled robots. How does that saying go? If you can't handle being told it's not a big deal....get out of the pool of c-diff? Something like that?

I can't imagine being offended by being told something so silly isn't offensive.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

What more do you expect? The ad was probably written by someone who works for a temp agency. Temp agencies are notoriously stupid.

I briefly worked for a temp agency before I became a nurse. I can assure you that I am not a stupid person. :)

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Actually, I would be willing to bet that it is a joke and it may have even been written by a nurse.

[qaqueen]

Seriously, I think the OP may need a vacation. The ad was directed at nursing STUDENTS, not nurses. Nursing requires anticipating needs, helping people that you may not like, with a smile on your face, and generally doing the right thing in a timely fashion. As someone who worked in f&b prior to becoming a nurse, I believe that there was nothing offensive about this ad. As the ad indicated the job was for "events" it is likely that the position was for banquets, i.e., work less, make more than the guy at Jack in the Box. This is not even close to offensive in my book.

[cdthorste]

Meh. I probably would have been treated better as a busser than I was at my first nursing job out of school.

happy ending--my current job treats me well

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

Yes, I didn't read all of the responses, particularly the ones stating that they put the same ad in multiple searches substituting the name of the profession at the time I posted that. That DID cross my mind that that was a possibility... but I responded to her post based on what she told us.

But... now that I have read more responses... I am even more amazed at the amount of (non-constructive) criticism and judgement offered, and the total lack of a basic empathy for fellow nurses, aka human-beings on here! I THOUGHT we were here to support and help eachother, REGARDLESS of if we are thinking someone is "overreacting" or whatever the case is... and even if someone DOES think that, shouldn't we offer that opinion in a more compassionate way and maybe offer some constructive feedback? But maybe I am wrong on that, idk...

Anyways, the original post stated she wanted feedback from members including if we thought SHE overreacted... and my original post was to do exactly that by trying to see it from multiple viewpoints (as you can tell from that post, I start off stating my original reaction as if I had just read the ad like she did, but as I continued to write, my viewpoint swayed as I thought of different things... in the end, concluding that in my opinion, it really wasn't worth it for her to worry over one way or another.) However... I did NOT ask for anyone's opinion (or YOUR'S) regarding if I was overreacting.

Thank you for your empathy! (((hugs)))

[Salisburysteak, BSN, RN]

Here you go

[AliceTrout]

I have found that the hospitality industry is very often where future nurses start their careers. I know I did, and so did an overwhelming number of my former hospitality working cohorts.

The fact is there are interesting and subtle similarities between the jobs when it comes to who succeeds.

Both jobs require high energy people who know how to please/calm/placate people. Both require people who can prioritize and re-prioritize tasks quickly and accurately. Both benefit from employees with dogged work ethics and a touch of perfectionism.

Frankly, I am more offended by OPs snobbish attitude toward hospitality workers than I am at the fact the company recognizes what kind of people have the work-based traits they are seeking. Sure, a busser doesn't go to work to save lives (although they do. I have seen several situations where a hospitality worker performed Heimlich and CPR). That doesn't make them a lower class of employee worthy of the shame OP evidently felt when compared to them.

[Innocent2021, ADN, BSN]

Kudos to you for bringing up a topic so many are interested in. I wouldn't be insulted by such an ad. Along with the saving of lives, we do tote heavy bags of linens every shift, carry meal trays at all hours, hunt for presentable snacks and meals and do all the necessary housekeeping of the patient room, not to mention the patient's body. It takes a love of service, and I don't blame the ad-placer for wanting nursing students to apply.

[LindseyGearllach]

Nurses are excellent multitaskers, maybe that was their thought process. I don't find it offensive...they are just offering jobs to nursing students who generally don't have the time for a full time job.

[NurseNHowell]

Most restaurant jobs around me require CPR and basic response training so maybe 2 birds 1 stone? The nursing students will already have this. Also food service does use critical thinking since they need to be able to assess the demands and the priority action to keep happy customers(patients) while also fulfilling the required tasks.

It's asking for students not actual nurses. I've been a LVN for over a decade, EMT for 6years, CNA for 7yrs. I am currently in my ADN program and I'm actually currently looking for a position like they list. Something that is periodic and does not require weekly set schedule but instead one I can provide my availablity to and are open and understanding of my time requirements and schedule.

[sweetie13]

no you are not over reacting. the majority of the public have no idea what a nurse does. and doctors being demeaning to nurses in front of patients does not help.