Do you think you are a "hero"?

No, we’re just a little crazier than most people  LOL. We do put ourselves in harm’s way on a daily basis, but we are trained in how to safely do that and have the necessary equipment to do that. Police, firefighters, military are heroes because they not only put themselves in direct harm’s way, their lives are on the line in an instant. One bad fire or one bullet could be the end of them. Either way, we are all just doing our job. 

No. Im a vet and I hate they call me a hero for that too. Im not. 

NO! And I don't want to be. I don't have any desire to sacrifice mental and physical health and wellbeing for anyone, patients or employers.

I am also a veteran; don't call me a hero for that either. It was a career, not heroism that motivated me.

Do NOT call me a hero. That's too big a burden to bear. And rather insulting. I am no martyr either. If you want to thank me, fine, I will be gracious but if you call me a hero I will gently correct you.

How do I feel about it? It offends me.  Instead of putting up posters claiming your staff are "hero's" how about getting enough staff and paying them what a "hero" should be paid.

On 9/3/2021 at 7:43 AM, T-Bird78 said:

No, we’re just a little crazier than most people  LOL. 

On 9/3/2021 at 7:55 AM, OUxPhys said:

No. Im a vet and I hate they call me a hero for that too. Im not. 

On 9/3/2021 at 8:09 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

NO! And I don't want to be. I don't have any desire to sacrifice mental and physical health and wellbeing for anyone, patients or employers.

On 9/4/2021 at 10:21 AM, kbrn2002 said:

How do I feel about it? It offends me.  

What do you all suppose the reasoning is behind facilities making such claims and describing us as such?

2 minutes ago, jive turkey said:

What do you all suppose the reasoning is behind facilities making such claims and describing us as such?

Why don't you go out on a limb and share your opinion instead..?

8 hours ago, jive turkey said:

What do you all suppose the reasoning is behind facilities making such claims and describing us as such?

The Admins and facilities are the ones banking off of it, not the actual healthcare workers. Unless you count complimentary pastries or random food donated from some companies, which happened sometimes in the past previously. Also not a great idea in the midst of a pandemic situation. None of the "hero worship" has changed the situation of gutting benefits, crap staffing plans, punitive policies pretending to be process improvement, and any and every task being thrown onto the list of nursing responsibilities. Meanwhile, those same managers and executives, and anyone else non-clinical that could swing it, made sure they could work from home and away from the sick people as long as possible.  Why would they -not- capitalize on that kind of PR? 

As for me: OIF Veteran RN. No. I just patched up the men and women doing the hard work. 

31 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

The Admins and facilities are the ones banking off of it, not the actual healthcare workers. Unless you count complimentary pastries or random food donated from some companies, which happened sometimes in the past previously. Also not a great idea in the midst of a pandemic situation. None of the "hero worship" has changed the situation of gutting benefits, crap staffing plans, punitive policies pretending to be process improvement, and any and every task being thrown onto the list of nursing responsibilities. Meanwhile, those same managers and executives, and anyone else non-clinical that could swing it, made sure they could work from home and away from the sick people as long as possible.  Why would they -not- capitalize on that kind of PR? 

As for me: OIF Veteran RN. No. I just patched up the men and women doing the hard work. 

I hear you.  In other words, you feel they offer it as a form of cheap flattery with no real meaning behind it, to encourage front line workers to keep at it for their benefit. 

4 minutes ago, jive turkey said:

I hear you.  In other words, you feel they offer it as a form of cheap flattery with no real meaning behind it, to encourage front line workers to keep at it for their benefit. 

Bingo. Although, I think it's all a dog and pony show for the sake of the public. In the back, they're still whipping the staff and yelling to work harder and not talk about conditions. It's only to the public we're called heroes and our "sacrifice" is praised. PR vomit. 

5 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

Bingo. Although, I think it's all a dog and pony show for the sake of the public. In the back, they're still whipping the staff and yelling to work harder and not talk about conditions. It's only to the public we're called heroes and our "sacrifice" is praised. PR vomit. 

I hear you.  Ironically,  medical professionals were risking their health & safety,  helping the sick and saving lives long before COVID came along. I found it interesting it took COVID to inspire calls of heroism. 

I wouldn't want to take that away from anyone but can certainly appreciate how it seems artificial and even insulting. 

Are the nurses who refuse to vaccinate and would rather leave their jobs heros?

51 minutes ago, jive turkey said:

I hear you.  Ironically,  medical professionals were risking their health & safety,  helping the sick and saving lives long before COVID came along. I found it interesting it took COVID to inspire calls of heroism. 

I wouldn't want to take that away from anyone but can certainly appreciate how it seems artificial and even insulting. 

I know, right? That's part and parcel of what we do. Now that it's widespread they want to announce "heroes," but look at how they treated those that went out of their way to help those impacted by Ebola. Forced quarantine in terrible conditions for daring to go to where the endemic was and help. 

 It's the same kind of hypocrisy when it comes to supporting others who are always sacrificing for the good of the community. First responders, including police, military, and healthcare. When the public at large thinks they need you, you're a "hero," but outside of that immediate need just fade into the background and we don't want to see you or your problems. Never mind that your problems are direct consequences of your work and those sacrifices. You're only a hero so long as you're useful to someone. Once they've broken you, you're just an inconvenience. I've long since become disillusioned by our society's ideas of hero worship.