Disrespectful

[martymoose]

Hi - just another vent.Was told by one "higher up " that we are just going to have to "suck it up" when we c/o not enough staff scheduled, call ins,techs being cut. The other "higher up" told us that "we've been spoiled, and we better get used to things the way they are now."

Do these comments seem professional? The whole staff morale is completely in the toilet, I am sad for my co-workers who work their behinds off, and sad for myself for being so stupid as to stay where I am.

Is it like this everywhere else?

[lvan0904]

I had a patient complain that I "didn't make good eye contact" and I "seemed busy". Really? I seemed busy? Probably because I had 6 patients with barely any help from ancillary staff. Forgive the lack of eye contact as I work on a tele/med-surg floor where staffing usually sucks and it's nonstop craziness from the time I hit the floor until I clock out. Next time I guess I'll pull up a chair and chat over a cup of coffee and listen attentively while you discuss your feelings. The patients with chest pain can wait!!!! Give me a break!!!!

[MR. STRANGE]

The thought behind hospitals appears to be to get by with little as possible. I mean if it's your license on the line and not mine who cares right? You can take one more patient right? you are a nurse. It's all BS. Management is all about numbers and looking good with percentages and in the process of looking good overlooks the key piece and that is YOU the nurse. The sucking up to this crap is old already and if you don't suck up, well you may loose your job. In the end it's a business, sad but true.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Seems like whenever new management comes in, immediately it becomes a "you are all so entitled/spoiled" approach to get nurses to work with more acute patients, with a lot less staff. Usually as a cost cutting measure. And bottom line is the more experienced (ie: higher paid) nurses who know that this is wrong and unfair will be so fed up they will move on. And they can hire 2 new grads, or the less seasoned, or even a seasoned nurse that has been unemployed for any length of time for the price of one seasoned nurse who has been with the facility for any length of time.

Don't know who is giving out brownie points for this style of management, however, sure seems like managment is racking them up. Oh, but before you get so fed up you leave, they WILL have you orient/precept. I do think that is half the reason why nurses are less than thrilled with their orientations/preceptors--it is so difficult to orient/precept working under near impossible conditions.

[MR. STRANGE]

Spot on with trying to orientate/precept when the working conditions are unsafe, it does your new employee no good.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Spot on with trying to orientate/precept when the working conditions are unsafe, it does your new employee no good.

But alas, it doesn't seem to matter. Cause anything that is a major issue due to safety is immediately the nurse's fault. And in some cases, it is cheaper to keep on hiring for less money and orienting/precepting than it is to keep a nurse on who has had a multi-year career with the facility.

Sigh....they want a nurse just like you, only a LOT cheaper. And preference given to those without a voice.

[MR. STRANGE]

Like I said, it's a business anything to save $ and make $.

[jdethman]

Seems less than professional to me.

It's like that where I work. In the same "huddle" we were told, "it's been tough around here with the acuity so high," followed by, "don't forget to get your patient's family members that cup of coffee they asked for because they'll really remember it in their survey." Blow me. I'm I allowed to say that on Allnurses? Probably not but that's what I want to say to these people with all their grand ideas. Just keeping it real.

]They might be miss applying the concept, but the concept is correct. Patent satisfaction is already tied to reimbursement. This is the reality of modern health care. I wound never suggest for a nurse to go get a family member a cup of coffee. I would however suggest to use proper non-verbal communication, smile and make good eye contact when culturally appropriate. If you play it right they would never ask you to get them a cup of coffee any more than they would an MD.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I used to have inmates tell me about all the good stuff they got in other county jails. They didn't like me telling them then to commit all their crimes in that county.

[TriciaJ, RN]

Best comment ever noyesno! I work at a jail and I once had an inmate tell me, "The service here has just been terrible this time." Yeah.... okay, I'll get the Sheriff ... heads will ROLL! Lol!

I used to get told by inmates about all the great stuff at other county jails. I always suggested they start commiting all their crimes in that county.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Hi - just another vent.Was told by one "higher up " that we are just going to have to "suck it up" when we c/o not enough staff scheduled, call ins,techs being cut. The other "higher up" told us that "we've been spoiled, and we better get used to things the way they are now."

Do these comments seem professional? The whole staff morale is completely in the toilet, I am sad for my co-workers who work their behinds off, and sad for myself for being so stupid as to stay where I am.

Is it like this everywhere else?

*** Certainly not professional. On the other hand look at it from their point of view. They worked very hard for YEARS to create this exact situation. For years employers of nurses and nursing schools slaved away at the false propaganda and lobbyist tread mill. It's hard work telling every person who will stand still long enough that we have a "nursing shortage! Dire consequences will result!" It hard work putting out all those press releases warning our grandparents that if they go to the hospital there won't be anyone there to take care of them due to the "NURSING SHORTAGE!"

Imagine the long, long hours they spent coaching their lobbyist to con nurse's tax money out of congress to dramatically expand nursing programs to solve the "NURSING SHORTAGE!".

Lucky for them the economy crashed in 2008 moving the day of the planned glut of nurses ahead by 3 or 4 years and they were finally able to rest from their labors.

Imagine if you worked that hard to accomplish your goal. Could you resist acting like your "higher ups" did?

Have a little understand for them. Sheesh!

[PeacockMaiden]

This is exactly how I feel too! I always said my facility should have circus music playing on the background!

[ANnot4me]

There is never a shortage of nurses who will go to work everyday and be grateful that they, or their families, are not a patient in their workplace.