There is currently a palpable low morale among the nurses in the very large teaching hospital where I work. Quite a few seasoned nurses have been fired for seemingly frivolous reasons. Working hard, well-liked, never call in, have never been in trouble and suddenly fired. Many nurses say they are trying to find new jobs because they are afraid they will be suddenly fired.
This issue was brought up in a staff meeting. We were told that there were good reasons why these nurses had been fired. If we wanted to find new jobs they would be glad to give us good references. Many have left over this issue.
To make it more confusing. The CNO is verbally asking, trying to determine why they cannot retain RN's? Stating it's so expensive to orient nurses and then they leave for no good reason. All are afraid to speak up for fear of getting fired by their manager. Seems as though the managers and the administration are not on the same page.
It seems they should be on the exact same page. They go to the same meetings regarding staff, staffing and budgets. What would explain the difference?
I know I feel enough pressure to keep me dying my hair. I also accepted a lower hourly rate thinking this may keep me around longer. I drastically downplay my experience by not telling employers of all my certs and training. So, yes, I am fully aware of what happens to seasoned, well-paid nurses.
At the employment department, I was advised about age discrimination, dying one's hair, and truncating the resume, to attempt to downplay years of experience. That was 16 or 17 years ago. Have even had age addressed in interviews. One can tell when one is being judged on their age.
Fired because of age? Absolutely, especially if the nurse has 20 to 30 years in. It saves the hospital lots of money in benefits and pensions. Awhile back, The State of New Jersey fired people that worked for the state 20 to 35 years. There went their pensions There went the benefits not to mention their salaries. But of course no one mentions the politicians. They can be elected to congress. sit on their buts for 2-6 years, be voted out and still they have pensions and healthcare (The best, mind you) for the rest of their lives and how many poor people are elected to congress. Yes every day, when I work, I was in fear of getting the ax. That is why I dyed my hair. With I dyed I looked around 55, without the dye 68-70.
How can the Magnet Components and structural TOOLS of Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, nursing autonomy, and participatory management style be used by nurses to stop such job firings?
How can the Magnet Components and structural TOOLS of Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, nursing autonomy, and participatory management style be used by nurses to stop such job firings?
Honestly? They cannot. Unless the organization's leadership embraces the concepts--which they clearly do not if they're firing experienced people to save money--it's a totally futile waste of time to engage in such activities.
A strong nursing union would be the only way to combat such firings in facilities like that. And honestly, even that may not be all that effective as management could trump up minor issues to justify termination.
The best thing to do is to avoid nasty facilities and spread the word about them, esp. to the consumers. Who wants to go to a hospital where experienced nurses are replaced with clueless new ones? I bet that's not the only short-sighted way they try to save money at the patients' expense.
I mean no offense to clueless new nurses--I was one recently and everyone is to start with. I have become the nurse I am today thanks to my highly experienced colleagues who were able to properly break me in. I've heard frightening stories of units without a backbone of experienced nurses, where there are multiple generations without adequate experience. Truly the blind leading the blind.
Wow, you have certainly painted quite an interesting picture of the issues currently plaguing your facility. From your description, it sounds like there are some serious political challenges at play which are obviously affecting everyone involved. Sadly, this sort of concern has been affecting the nursing profession as a while for a very long time and my guess is that this is not the first time it has surfaced in your particular facility.
When I initially relocated to the U.S from Canada, something similar happened to me too but in my case, it was more related to immigration issues than politics. Nonetheless, it was an incredibly challenging time. The hospital that sponsored me to relocate would threaten me with the "we won't support the renewal of your work visa" card when it came to working weekends, holidays & overtime. However, I did speak up & challenged the manager as well as HR & informed them that I still had rights regardless of my immigration status, and it worked.
Sometimes, we as professionals need to decide what battles we are willing to fight, and which ones we aren't. If something affects your work environment enough to create a threatening environment, then it may be worth fighting. If you don't feel comfortable approaching your manager with this issue, then you can always make an appointment with HR & discuss it with them, but you should walk into that meeting well prepared.
Here are some suggestions:
1) Write down some of your own observations such as communication issues you've experienced, staffing rivalry you've witnessed, gossip you've heard, and any others (just make sure you are not speaking about anyone but yourself).
2) Identify what you have personally attempted in dealing with the issues such as meetings you've had with your manager, topics you've presented during staff meetings etc.
3) Create a list of ideas that you think may help ease the situation such as offering to host a staff meeting to create ideas on improving the work environment for instance.
Basically what you are doing is showing that you are a concerned professional who is willing to help in improving the situation rather than adding to it. Being prepared also sets the stage that you are truly a professional and care about your job enough to help improve it. HR professionals love people who do this because it helps them & will likely win you some support (which you need).
I hope this helps a bit....Just know that you are not alone. Don't be afraid, be strong & you'll find the suport you need.
Nurses CAN AND SHOULD contact the EEOC and file a complaint. Attorneys will not take an age discrimination case until the EEOC has investigated, and found just cause for the complaint.
The above employees who were fired in an obvious age discrimination situation, lost pensions, etc, should not just sit idly, wringing their hands. They should take action immediately, and contact the EEOC, as there is a Statute of Limitations that needs to be met.
Nurses are easy targets in the work place, because most of you are not unionized, and have little, if any power in the workplace. I hope that all of the anti union nurses on this listserve will stand up and take notice. Being nice, doing a good job, being loyal, will not keep you from being shown the door when the mood strikes the PTB. Heard enough? Then do something about it before you are next!!
Call the NNOC and the National Nurses United, and get the ball rolling. The only thing you have to fear, is losing you job because of discrimination.
How can the Magnet Components and structural TOOLS of Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, nursing autonomy, and participatory management style be used by nurses to stop such job firings?
"Honestly? They cannot. Unless the organization's leadership embraces the concepts--which they clearly do not if they're firing experienced people to save money--it's a totally futile waste of time to engage in such activities."
But...but...Magnet hospitals must show they are achieving and adhering to the Excellence criteria the Magnet program is supposed to be measuring, or else they lose their Magnet status, right? And those criteria are supposed to provide benefits to nurses as well as patients, correct? If so, nurses need to understand, develop and implement those Magnet tools in order to protect and enhance their jobs. I am not trying to sound naive or idealistic...I really do want to understand the system and learn if it is possible to make it work to the benefit of nurses as well as patients.
I read a comment on this site a while back that the Magnet structure is antithetical to collective bargaining capability...possibly even designed to be so? That is another issue that concerns me and which I want to understand better.
I must say again to all who read this form, and spread the word - you must document,document, document- name,date and time. I have in the past had cause to contact the EEOC and the State Labor Dept about a discriminatory condition but I was one nurse- standing alone. I went to the management, the upper management(chain of command) the HRdept and no resolve. I did document and sent my documentation( 65 pages worth) to the EEOC and Dept of Labor- lawyers(from both sides: the hospital aka risk managment dept-shh we're not supposed to know about these employees, and the EEOC) were sent in. The hospital shushed this insident up, I have a feeling it was a deal they made with the governemnt lawyers. The EEOC and DOL did give me a response to their investigation, including one smuck began CRYING and pleading during her conversation with the 2 lawyers. This problem is not just a few 'bunch of peed off old bats', here an there- this is very wide spread all over this country. And we all know why it is done- money, money, money. If the EEOC and the DOL from various states begin to get these complaints, flood them with them- I guarantee it will not be - 1 nurse standing alone. These agencies do talk to each other- that's what they get paid to do.
We all know these healthcare systems have the money to hire experienced nurses( an salary them fairly) to balance out the inexperienced nurses to create a "culture of safety"( to hang them with their own words) but these healthcare systems are making a conscious choice not to do so.If these healthcare systems have the money to pay 1 employee millions in a salary +, they have the money to pay for experienced nurses to insure care is competent and safe.
This firing of experienced nurse only just started happening - in/ around 2008. This has not been a historical trend. I have been around hospitals long enough to know and have heard the then management montra-"we can't have a floor full or a unit full of new nurses" It was a patient safety issue.And it still is- but managment just doesn't want to make that common knowledge- the first way to do that is to get rid of the experienced nurses who are the first to question- What the H***". If you just started a nursing program in around 2004- then you wouldn't know this and that is where management has the advantage over you. They know you don't know so they are going to get away with all they can. Don't take it personally- just read and listen and absorb. Managment is not anyone's BFF's. Management is too ill advised(or threatend themselves) to realize- if they have RN after their name, they took an ethical oath "to do No Harm" and harm is exactly what they are doing. I believe, technically, they can be reported to the Boards of Nursing- if the documentation is precise enough, then they can be subject to discipline. This subject( Age Discrimination in Nursing- Where did all the Experienced Nurse go? ) would make an awesome Nursing research paper for RN-BSN students( those working RN's, already on the hospital units and having first hand access to the needed data for collection) And it's not like college papers have not found their way to the media before!!!
Hospitals (at least here in the U.S.) are all about money. It is the corporation that comes first. So, that is what it is and we are not going to change that. It is a business first.
I know that they would LOVE to see me go as I am at the top of the pay scale having worked at the same hospital for over 25 years. Now it is my belief that they are trying to accomplish this by keeping me full time and not honoring my request of dropping some hours. This was NEVER the case years ago. Years ago if a nurse wanted to drop hours there was no issue. So now we have nurses who are fortunate to work 3/week with full benefits and will not be made to increase their hours but the ones who are working more than 3/wk are not allowed to drop down. Makes no sense other than dollars.
There are laws that focus on discrimination of age. They need to get an auttorney and if the hospital can not show just cause they will wind up with a nice lumb sum of money and their jobs back.
I've been managing my ICU for 24 years with 3 more to go before retiring. The majority of the day shift have been here over 20 years and we went for over 6 years without loosing a staff member in our unit. ICU is praised by our admin. for the longevity and the high morale and knowledge we provide our staff. We are a not for profit community hospital with no union in northern Ca.
barbyann
337 Posts
I know I feel enough pressure to keep me dying my hair. I also accepted a lower hourly rate thinking this may keep me around longer. I drastically downplay my experience by not telling employers of all my certs and training. So, yes, I am fully aware of what happens to seasoned, well-paid nurses.