Good Nursing Retention article though somewhat Utopian

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 14, 2001

Well, well, well. This is a good article as far as it goes.

We had at least one survey every 6-9 months. Being in a city with both a medical school and a college of nursing, as well as a Tech College school of nursing, there were a LOT of "studies."

Supposedly confidential....we usually answered fairly honestly. I NEVER saw any improvement in the work environment or in the approach to the practice. I do believe that the study results were given to "the powers that be."

4n6msn2b · Nov 14, 2001

Utopian.....well like all other areas of nursing dissatisfaction, i think nurses hold some of that responsibility.. we need to make management see our views....and hold them accountable...BUT...requires that all nurses are on the same page....

ok...lets start at page 1...we stand together!!!

oramar · Nov 14, 2001

Pollyanna because the article is looking at the situation through rose collored glasses. It does not recognize that managment is more likely to be hiring Phillipino nurses as a solution to it's problems than it is to be hanging over us worrying about our happiness. Which we all know is nothing new.

Peeps Mcarthur · Nov 14, 2001

If they can get phillipino nuses, and use federal tax money to pay for it, why bother improving working conditions?

I want it to be true too, but you know that's why they work.

"Studies", as P_RN so perfectly phrased it, are just a smoke screen to calm everyone down and take our focus off the problem as if someone is dilligently taking care of it.

It's just sedation before the slaughter.

I do hope I'm wrong, but it seems much too easy to get public sympathy from playing the "race card" and funding an influx of "stepford wife" type employees with someone elses money.

Don't you think.

Brad

Columbia, MD

fiestynurse · Nov 14, 2001

I like this analogy that she made about the current situation in nursing:

"When something meaningful and fulfilling has gone out of your life, it leaves a void similar to the pain of a physical ailment. In most cases, pain can be managed and the cause treated."

debbyed · Nov 14, 2001

We've had two such surveys in the last year (not brief). After the first one the Nurse Managers were supposed to develop and implement "action plans". The second survey was supposed to judge the effectiveness of the "action plans".

The results of the first survey were discussed with all employees at hospital wide staff meetings that everyone was supposed to attend. The second survey was recent but they say they will also discuss these results. Over all there have been some visable changes made for the better based on the first survey.

However although one of the biggest responses was that staff wanted more imput in decision making. When committees were formed to address this concern, no one wanted to serve. Go figure!! How can you expect to have more imput without participation? As much as I tend to hate to take administrations side, the oppurtunity was offered, but there were few takers.

oramar · Nov 14, 2001

Committies are just not popular because they have been around forever and have a bad reputation. Better to have people sit in as individuals on the meetings the big wigs hold all the time and give input without fear of retaliation. You have to give people time to believe that any input they have will bear fruit instead of punishment. Do I have to explain how things got that way.

NCNocRN · Nov 16, 2001

:) :) :)