All Nurses Read This

psychnurse991 · Mar 30, 2001

Originally posted by buck227:
Please respond to this on this thread so we can all learn about each others situation

Questions
1)RPN
2)2.5 years
3)Northern Ontario Canada
4)Job#1 yes I'm satisfied with my pay but Job #2 only pays half of Job#1
5)benefits? what are benefits?
6)yes my hours are fine
7)Job#1 a monkey with an arm tied behind his back could do better, Jbb#2 she's great
8)Job#1-it's the government...need I say more? Job#2yes I do
9)Job#1 has one but job#2 doesn't
10)yes I do but it has it's moments
11)no mandatory overtime...no mandatory number of shifts I work either
12)I take 2 union designated breaks and lunch and supper
13)rotate
14) All of them
15)Job#1 has a union but I don't feel they do much for me...I support them however.
16)Work slow down or picket maybe but not to strike...patients are the ones who suffer cause of the union
17)nope

cmggriff · Mar 30, 2001

1)RN

2)17

3)US NW

4)No

5)yes

6)Full time

7)Yes

8)somewhat

9)No

10)yes

11)No

12)I work in ER. Breaks occur or not according to patient demands.

13)Nights

14)All of them

15)I am for and am in a union.

16)Unequivically.

17)I have done a lot of things over the years to earn a living. I have never enjoyed anything as much as nursing. But I have never felt we were paid appropriately for what we do.

Charles S. Smith, RN, MS · Mar 30, 2001

Originally posted by buck227:
Please respond to this on this thread so we can all learn about each others situation

Questions
1)RN, LPN, or CNA? RN
2)Years as a nurse? 32 years in healthcare, 26 as RN
3)Area (i.e. U.S. NE, N central, NW, Se, S central, south west, Arkansas, or other country or location) Virginia
4) Are you satisfied with your pay? Absolutely, I create my own
5)with your benefits? Absolutely, I create my own
6)your hours? The best...I choose my hours to perform clinical nursing
7)Do you believe your supervisor is competent at his or her job? I am my supervisor, so, yes...
8)Do you trust your employer? Again, yes, I am self employed
9)Does your institution have a nursing education Dept, or has it been cut recently? Our company has a strong education component
10)Do you enjoy being a nurse? The best decision I ever made
11)Does your employer have mandatory overtime? Nope, I work as many or as few hours as i choose
12)How often do you get a break at work? As work permits
13)Do you work Days, nights, or rotate? Nights
14) How many Holidays did you spend with your family or signifigant other over the last year? I am single with no family so I choose to work holidays to give others opportunity to celebrate with their children, families
15)Are you for or against the idea of a nurses union in your area?
16)If you were in a union, would you be willing to strike,picket,or have a work slow down?
17)any other comments

I will compress 15, 16, 17 into one comment.
There has been a need for collective bargaining in certain areas of the country with specific population demographics. I do not discount the historical need for collective bargaining. I challenge the mindset, however, that there must be a legislated, adversarial relationship between management and staff. Nurses have traditionally been directed in most all aspects of their careers and have taken directions well. It is time now for nurses to begin enacting a more self directed approach to individual and collective nursing careers. Nurses must move from the employee role to a more professional model...independent and group practices. I founded such a group in Richmond, VA and it is successful. Based on expert practice and the collective stellar reputations of our group partners, we enjoy a level of success unknown to any of us previously. Most importantly, though, we are moving forward and testing waters that are new, exciting, innovative and creative. We are stretching ourselves to learn new things, experiment, grow and are enjoying the personal and group challenges and the success that comes with the challenges. We are entrepreneurial. In my view, the only real change our nursing profession should make and sustain is to change the work mode for professional nurses...move into entrepreneurial professional practice groups. If you want more information, contact me directly via our website or my email listed under my profile above.
regards to all
chas

buck227 · Mar 31, 2001

Thats great

Sable's mom · Mar 31, 2001

Buck, Great thread! ! So here's my answers:

1-RN

2-24

3-Midwest - Michigan

4-More or less, we move every 5-6 years and the area really affects the pay.

5-I usually opt-out and take cash

6-YES - 12hr nights, 3x/week

7-I work a speciality unit so, they are OK, but can't really cover my patients, they do try very hard to get extra staff in when needed

8-somewhat, I mostly try to stay away from admin

9-If we have one I've never seen it - any inservices I've seen are taught by other staff nurses or our docs

10-YES, YES, YES Ican't imagine doing anything else

11-I think so, but in our unit we all work together to make sure the patients are cared for and our director doesn't argue about the overtime hours

12-usually 1 short break and a 30 min lunch - but I'm sometimes called back to the unit - I'm the only staff nurse(sometimes the only person) in our unit (LDRP & Nsy) at night

13-nights

14-everyother

15-fairly anti union - I've worked at both and find a us versus them more often with a union, but would never say never/always

16-Not a slow down, but a strike if it was voted on

17-Good luck with compiling the information

UVaRN2Be · Apr 2, 2001

Questions

1)CNA/nursing student

2)Years as a CNA- 7

3)Virginia

4) Am happy with pay for what I do$23,000-RN's start at 36,000

5)happy with benefits

6)4 10 hour days/ every 3rd weekend/ Rn's also except they work 80 hours within 2 weeks.

7)I think my supervisor is easy to work with, but not as "hard" as she should be

8)Yes I do until I find out otherwise

9)Yes, my institution has a nursing education Dept

10)I LOVE my work

11)No mandatory overtime for CNA's or nurses

12)CNa's get their breaks when we want them pretty much, Nurses take turns and usually get their breaks.

13)I work days, some nurses only work days or nights, others fill in if needed on either shift

14) All employees on my unit rotate holidays. we fill out what we want to have off, and we have to work three of six holidays but usually don't have to work all of the 3

15)My hospital is working on becoming a magnant hospital, but I dont think i would want a union. I would have to be more famillar with them.

16)No I wouldn't. I am there to take care of my patients.

17)The nursing committee where I work is currently working on a stipend for nursing students to pay them their full salary and benifits while in school while only working half of our hours. I work with wonderful people that I consider my friends. We have the support of our medical director, administrator of cancer center and our manager. I am sure that not all of the units in our hospital are that fortunate. We get raises and retention bonuses, tution reimbursement and we have alot of parties.

Meredith

CC NRSE · Apr 2, 2001

1. RN (ADN)

2. yrs as nurse - 3.5

3. northwest FL

4. Satisfied wtih pay? yeah, I guess so, although wouldn't turn it down if they offered more!!

5. benefits? somewhat, I've had worse

6. DAYSHIFT!!! finally!!! 7a-7p

7. Do I believe my supervisor is competent? I suppose that depends on which one - yes,... and no

8. Do I trust my employer? that depends on what you mean by trust!! with my deep dark secrects, NEVER.

9. Education Dept? That's what they call themselves anyway!!!

10. I LOVE being a NURSE!!!!!

11. No mandantory overtime. But we get time and a half if we sign up for extra days. I am only 72 hrs biweekly.

12. ??BREAK??? what is that?? you mean everyone can't hold their "PEE" for 12 hrs?!!!!

13. been on days a month now!!! I finally feel HUMAN again!!!!

14. Spend most holidays with my husband either at home or work (he is a nurse too) my other family, just christmas day last year, that was only after working 7p-7a on Christmas eve and driving 3 hrs. So needless to say, I was the walking, ZOMBIE!!!!

15. Union? Don't really know. Don't know of any in this area. ( very few in the south ya know.)

16. strike, picket or slow down? I guess that would depend on the cause.

Miss Saigon · Apr 3, 2001

1) RN

2) 3 years

3) NY

4) NO

5) Somewhat

6) Yes

7) NO

8) NO

9) YES

10) YES

11) YES

12) WHAT IS THAT??

13) Nights

14) 1

15) NO, WE NEED ONE

16) N/A

17) Well, since the hospital I work for just annouced it is closing in 90 days, all I can say right now is " WHERE IS MY PADDLE"

[This message has been edited by Miss Saigon (edited April 03, 2001).]

gvar · Apr 4, 2001

1. R.N. 2. 11 years 3. Oregon Coast

4. yes 5. yes 6. yes, 3 12's a week

7. yes 8. usually 9. yes, lots made avail to us 10. yes 11. no mandatory,

12. 2 30 minute breaks per shift. I leave the building for at least one of them.

13. days 14. worked 2 major ones

15. work at union hospital-it's ok, esp. at

contract time. 16. yes

Lisa - RN · Apr 4, 2001

1. RN

2. 1 year (approx)

3. Northern Utah

4. New grad wages, so that would be NO!

5. I have no benefits

6. Yes

7. Yes

8. No

9. Yes

10. Yes, I love nursing!

11. No

12. Never!!!!

13. Days

14. about 3

15. I am for unions, but I could not join even if there was one in Utah...my employer would throw me in jail (VA hospital)

16. Yes, I would strike

17. Nurses are overwhelmed, overworked, and units are understaffed - these are the three biggest complaints at my facility.

Enright · Apr 4, 2001

1)RN

2)14 years

3)Upper Midwest

4) Pay could be better

5)Benefits great, fabulous pension

6)M-R 6 am to 4:30 pm

7)Sup is a non-nurse but very fair and respectful

8)My employer is the state; they do treat me well

9)I AM the nursing education dept. :)

10)I love being a community health nurse.

11)No OT

12)I am self paced, self schduling.

13)work schedule of my choice, Fridays and W/E off

14) All holidays off in this job--

15)I am required to be in the union. It is expensive but valuable

16)I'd support the union.

17)I checked out of hospital nursing the night I had a patient dying in one room and an MD asking me to scrub in and assist with hand surgery in another. I'd encourage all nurses to find a nursing job they love. There is an incredible variety out there.

buck227 · Apr 5, 2001

over half way there. I will summarize all data when I reach 100 posts or on 4-23 (which ever comes first)

buck