Fortunate to have a job?

FLArn · Sep 18, 2009

Yes, I am a valuable asset to my employer. However, I can't let that fact go to my head to the extent that I act as though I were irreplaceable. I am as fortunate to have my position as they are to have me. However, no one is irreplaceable--- There is some one else who can do my job! They may do it better or not as well -- but they CAN do it!

Also we need to stand up for safe environments and a fair wage, but we also need to learn a lesson from the auto and similar industries where the unions have priced the employees almost out of work. With the cuts in reimbursements for health care increasing, the financial people will be looking for places to cut and for some that will be FTE in nursing and other positions.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2009

Sometimes I feel unfortunate to be employed when my employer cuts our hours, expects us to be on standby for eight hours and copelled to show up,work for only four measly hours, be subject to the trials and tribulations of floating those four, somewhere uncomfortable as rehab portion of the hospital where the last time I floated there was given 7, yes seven, patients. Bravo work!!!

And likewise I am compelled to clock out in "time" and spend extra hours typing the little things that make up this job, for I don't want management on my back regarding overtime. It's gotten rediculous.

PS.I spent the day at the Portland Bins (goodwill) with my wife buying clothes by the pound and books at dirt cheap prices and I'm thinking to myself, perhaps I should try to set up an Ebay account or do something other than subject myself to various environmental hazards: chemo/viruses/bacteria/scabes/lice/vomit/feces and emotional hazards: politics at work, dying patients, taunting by the management etc etc etc.

PS PS, I also hate my self inflicted attitude of believing that I should be grateful just to be employed.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 18, 2009

Sometimes I feel unfortunate to be employed when my employer cuts our hours, expects us to be on standby for eight hours and copelled to show up,work for only four measly hours, be subject to the trials and tribulations of floating those four, somewhere uncomfortable as rehab portion of the hospital where the last time I floated there was given 7, yes seven, patients. Bravo work!!!
And likewise I am compelled to clock out in "time" and spend extra hours typing the little things that make up this job, for I don't want management on my back regarding overtime. It's gotten rediculous.
PS.I spent the day at the Portland Bins (goodwill) with my wife buying clothes by the pound and books at dirt cheap prices and I'm thinking to myself, perhaps I should try to set up an Ebay account or do something other than subject myself to various environmental hazards: chemo/viruses/bacteria/scabes/lice/vomit/feces and emotional hazards: politics at work, dying patients, taunting by the management etc etc etc.
PS PS, I also hate my self inflicted attitude of believing that I should be grateful just to be employed.

:yeah:You have certainly shown the flip side of the coin. If working sporificely like this demeans the soul, then, it may not always be worth it. Time is money. If you are sitting by the telephone waiting for a call to only show for a few hours and then have to clock out on time-YET, STILL, have to cover your license with documentation and safe patient care...well...

What is shameful about this is that we are medical professionals that render care to those less fortunate than ourselves, yet, many of our nurses working the way you mentioned are barely able to take care of ourselves. Is this what nurses went to school for? :banghead:

Ruthfarmer · Sep 19, 2009

Perhaps you're fortunate to have the job. Perhaps NOT. It saddens me that this "fortunate to have a job" refrain keeps playing over and over. It seems to be almost like a chant that promotes fear and helplessness. As I said on another thread, sometimes nurses are their own worst enemies. Until nurses become willing to say NO to unreasonable working conditions they will continue to be subjected to them. Everyone has to decide for themselves what they are going to tolerate or what they are willing to compromise.

Sometimes it's difficult to get moving in another direction and try something new. Have some business cards printed and hand them out to everyone you know, and tell them to pass the cards along to anyone who might know someone who needs a nurse. If you're not treated well where you are and if you are unhappy, it's up to you to change your situation.

Think outside the box, there are all sorts of opportunities in non-traditional settings. Consider moving for a better opportunity. Don't let yourself be confined by your current situation.

CathyLew · Sep 19, 2009

Have some business cards printed and hand them out to everyone you know,
Think outside the box, .

I did that, and gave them out at a seminar workshop I attended. and when I got some emails of generic job offerings, and some specific ones...I printed those off and left them laying arround in the training room.

Not long after that I got called in to resolve my contract, and got pretty much what I was asking for.

learning08 · Sep 19, 2009

If one has a good job (supportive environment, good working hours, decent conditions), then s/he is fortunate.

If s/he is stuck working in a terrible place because there's nothing else out there for them right now, that's not fortunate, but may have to do until other opportunities are found.

misplaced1 · Sep 20, 2009

Sometimes I feel unfortunate to be employed when my employer cuts our hours, expects us to be on standby for eight hours and copelled to show up,work for only four measly hours, be subject to the trials and tribulations of floating those four, somewhere uncomfortable as rehab portion of the hospital where the last time I floated there was given 7, yes seven, patients. Bravo work!!!
And likewise I am compelled to clock out in "time" and spend extra hours typing the little things that make up this job, for I don't want management on my back regarding overtime. It's gotten rediculous.
PS.I spent the day at the Portland Bins (goodwill) with my wife buying clothes by the pound and books at dirt cheap prices and I'm thinking to myself, perhaps I should try to set up an Ebay account or do something other than subject myself to various environmental hazards: chemo/viruses/bacteria/scabes/lice/vomit/feces and emotional hazards: politics at work, dying patients, taunting by the management etc etc etc.
PS PS, I also hate my self inflicted attitude of believing that I should be grateful just to be employed.

Setting up and ebay account is a good idea no matter waht else you do. You may not MAKE money but you will certainly save a lot selling things you don't use and buying what you need.

Once you start feeling like you are lucky to have job even if it is a bad job you are circling the drain in my opinion. It is a GOOD thinkg to be APPRECIATIVE. It is a BAD thing to be grateful for someone taking advantage of you- think one frat boy paddling another who has been told to say "thank-you sir may I have another". The more you think of yourself the more other will think of you.

Its one of the reasons I am not sure what I am going to do with my newly aquired nursing degree. I am afraid that when people find out I am a nurse they will think that I am there to take advantage of. This is NOT what I thought when I started. But anyone that has been around the culture knows that lots of nurses EAT the ones the stand up for themselves. Its like crabs in a barrel. Before I get flamed I did not say all! But I have never seen people so adamant that one has to be "called" and "selfless" etc and etc to be a nurse. THis is a JOB. Nurses are not the only health care professionals with compassion. They are not the only health professionals that care. It is a put down to the other health care professionals to pretend that they are.

The holier than thou attitude of so many is very difficult to take in that they must sacrifice themselves for teh great good because NOBODY else can and if they don't NOBODY else will. Its the MARTYR thing that is rampant in nursing and it sucks.

The best one is the one we here over and over in nursing school that we treat the patients holistically and that doctors do not. Really? Bet they would beg to differ. Or that we keep doctors from killing them. Ouch. Doctors have their own problems but come on, way to stoke the fire!

Oh and in nursing school what is up with these ladies lecturing on things they no nothing about! Insisting some kind of hands on thing is going to help the patient and that drugs are bad. Please, many of them don't even understand basic chemistry or physics.

Lets take nursing school. Some teachers are some wonderful nurses, wonderful people. You bet and I am in awe or them. At least half of them are codependent martyrs that feel so bad about themsleves that the only way they can feel good about themselves is to take care of people who think they are "angels" and to torture students AND to write test questions that are ambiguous and then mark them wrong, or tell students to ask them any time to clarify and then when they do to repremand them OR to

This is not my first career or job. I have never seen so many codependent martyrs concnetrated in one place. ALANON should hold group sessions at nursing schools. Teachers and students should have to attend!

That said nursing also attracts some kick a**, smart, great , people. Stick with them. And feel like you are worth being treated like a human. That my plan. And if it doesn work out either some place will be lucky to have me or I will work for myself.

diane227, LPN, RN · Sep 20, 2009

Man, I don't know. For 31 years it has been a ride.... up and down, up, and down. I absolutely loved all the time I spent working in the county ED with the 400 patients per day and confusion, craziness etc. I loved management, I loved psych. You know, no matter what you do, where ever you do it, you will find people who are not happy and who are difficult to get along with. Our health care environment is changing all the time, and will be changing more in the future.

I like to think that I do a good job. But I know that I am not the only one who can do it. I used to think that. In certain jobs that I used to have I used to think that I was the only person that could do that job. No one else could do it. I could not delegate. Well, I finally figured out that I am just one person and I cannot be all things to all people. I am finally at a point where I only have to work part time, I see more humor in things these days, I don't get upset as easily as I used to. I guess I am just getting old and running out of steam. But I still like my job and I figure I won't retire until I am about 70. I will be older than most of my patients.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 20, 2009

Like Learning08 said I feel fortunate because I enjoy my jobs. When you hear of the hard financial times others are encountering it does make me appreaciate my income however I have earned every single cent. I won't feel guilty about the planning and hard work that went into setting my financial life up to where it is now.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Sep 20, 2009

Its one of the reasons I am not sure what I am going to do with my newly acquired nursing degree. I am afraid that when people find out I am a nurse they will think that I am there to take advantage of. This is NOT what I thought when I started. But anyone that has been around the culture knows that lots of nurses EAT the ones the stand up for themselves. Its like crabs in a barrel. Before I get flamed I did not say all! But I have never seen people so adamant that one has to be "called" and "selfless" etc and etc to be a nurse. This is a JOB. Nurses are not the only health care professionals with compassion. They are not the only health professionals that care. It is a put down to the other health care professionals to pretend that they are.
The holier than thou attitude of so many is very difficult to take in that they must sacrifice themselves for the great good because NOBODY else can and if they don't NOBODY else will. It's the MARTYR thing that is rampant in nursing and it sucks.

:yeahthat: