Do you think you are a "hero"?

Nurses COVID

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"Heroes work here"

How do you feel about this slogan and its display outside of medical facilities?

Do you consider yourself a hero? Your coworkers?

Specializes in Primary Care, Military.
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. 

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Specializes in A variety.
51 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

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. 

This is where the old man in church goes

"Welllll, mmmhmmm"?

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Specializes in Primary Care, Military.
22 minutes ago, jive turkey said:

This is where the old man in church goes

"Welllll, mmmhmmm"?

Yeah, I ranted a little there. There are some sore nerves. Sorry about that. ?‍♀️

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2 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

Yeah, I ranted a little there. There are some sore nerves. Sorry about that. ?‍♀️

No that wasn't a criticism ? 

Speaking as an African American,

In churches attended predominantly by our ethnicity, when the pastor says something moving or that strikes a cord,  it's common to hear someone in the congregation say "weelllll"  as an affirmation.

So I was using a joke to react positively to what you said. 

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Specializes in Primary Care, Military.
8 minutes ago, jive turkey said:

No that wasn't a criticism ? 

Speaking as an African American,

In churches attended predominantly by our ethnicity, when the pastor says something moving or that strikes a cord,  it's common to hear someone in the congregation say "weelllll"  as an affirmation.

So I was using a joke to react positively to what you said. 

 Ohh. Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate your sharing this with me. I was worried I came off as a crazy person ranting there. I know we all have topics that get right to our hearts, of course. Even if we have things we disagree on, it's still nice to discuss and learn from each other. We're all human. 

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31 minutes ago, HarleyvQuinn said:

 Ohh. Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate your sharing this with me. I was worried I came off as a crazy person ranting there. I know we all have topics that get right to our hearts, of course. Even if we have things we disagree on, it's still nice to discuss and learn from each other. We're all human. 

It's all good I got you!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
20 hours ago, jive turkey said:

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

Can't you just picture some suit in an office coming up with this idea during a "how do we deal with COVID" meeting? His or her selling points would've been along the lines of it's cheap, it's easy to implement and it'll make the staff feel appreciated!  So the committee ran with with it and said hey, let's pay somebody a ton a money to design a poster, print a bunch and send them out to every facility we own!

Too bad those suits in their offices are so hopelessly out of touch with how their employees really feel. We don't want empty platitudes, we want respect!  We want adequate staffing and decent compensation for the job we do.

We don't want to picture your fat-cat suits in your fat-cat corner offices raking in big bonuses for figuring out how to maximize company profits by minimizing your payroll. 

We  do however really want to know where all that government bailout pandemic money went since it's painfully clear to us outside of your stupid posters not much was devoted to staffing.

Due to increased nursing responsibilities and stagnating wages this festering wound has been building for decades. Then along comes a pandemic that shines the light on how poorly disregarded staff really are and their answer to all their problems is a silly slogan?  Give me a break! 

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2 hours ago, kbrn2002 said:

Can't you just picture some suit in an office coming up with this idea during a "how do we deal with COVID" meeting? His or her selling points would've been along the lines of it's cheap, it's easy to implement and it'll make the staff feel appreciated!  So the committee ran with with it and said hey, let's pay somebody a ton a money to design a poster, print a bunch and send them out to every facility we own!

Too bad those suits in their offices are so hopelessly out of touch with how their employees really feel. We don't want empty platitudes, we want respect!  We want adequate staffing and decent compensation for the job we do.

We don't want to picture your fat-cat suits in your fat-cat corner offices raking in big bonuses for figuring out how to maximize company profits by minimizing your payroll. 

We  do however really want to know where all that government bailout pandemic money went since it's painfully clear to us outside of your stupid posters not much was devoted to staffing.

Due to increased nursing responsibilities and stagnating wages this festering wound has been building for decades. Then along comes a pandemic that shines the light on how poorly disregarded staff really are and their answer to all their problems is a silly slogan?  Give me a break! 

I hear you.  I'm other words trade in the posters, pizza parties,  water bottles with the company logo, and $3 gift cards for better ratios, sitters, equipment and anything else to make the environment safer and more manageable. 

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Specializes in Emergency.
On 9/5/2021 at 10:57 AM, kbrn2002 said:

We  do however really want to know where all that government bailout pandemic money went since it's painfully clear to us outside of your stupid posters not much was devoted to staffing.

Due to increased nursing responsibilities and stagnating wages this festering wound has been building for decades. Then along comes a pandemic that shines the light on how poorly disregarded staff really are and their answer to all their problems is a silly slogan?  Give me a break! 

But, the pizzas! 

Eyes roll completely to the back of my skull.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
1 minute ago, CKPM2RN said:

But, the pizzas! 

Eyes roll completely to the back of my skull.

Don't forget the cheap lunch bags and water bottles with the company logo plastered all over them.  Very useful when there's no time for lunch and you are not allowed to keep a bottle of water anywhere you can get to it. Those are especially appreciated during Nurses Week!

Eyes rolling right along with you

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On 9/5/2021 at 6:35 PM, CKPM2RN said:

But, the pizzas! 

Eyes roll completely to the back of my skull.

On 9/5/2021 at 6:41 PM, kbrn2002 said:

Don't forget the cheap lunch bags and water bottles with the company logo plastered all over them.  Very useful when there's no time for lunch and you are not allowed to keep a bottle of water anywhere you can get to it. Those are especially appreciated during Nurses Week!

Eyes rolling right along with you

And its not even good pizza, it'll be some 5.99 domino's deal.  All the money buying pizza could have paid for a sitter on the unit to help keep an eye on a subdowner.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

It’s annoying when it’s up for months outside of assisted livings. Then you see the caregivers outside smoking together in a group. 

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