groan, getting fired up again about articles in nursing mags

Nurses General Nursing

Published

There is section in RN magazine called Helpline. Managers send in questions and advice is given, these questions are located on page 26 of April issue. The first question is from a manager who complains about older workers getting negative and nasty in response to change. The second question is about nurses in ICU refusing to volunteer for precepting, the nurses say they are too overwhelmed to take on new task. The advice given to these managers is the usual garbage. It is automatically assumed that the nurses are at fault and all they need is a change of attitude. Mangers are advised to use a little carrot and maybe a little stick to clear up these bad attitudes. Could somebody please advise these managers to sit down with their nurses and talk to them like adults and find out what it really bothering them. My guess is that these bad attitudes are directly related to very real problems these nursing are experiencing in their working enviroment. Maybe those ICU nurses really do have to much to do to take on precepting duties. Maybe the older nurses are nasty because the lift team was eliminated in order to cut cost. Respectful managment would at least look into the facts behind the complaints. The real danger in this bad advice lies in the fact that these distressed units will soon be short staffed because the real problems are not being addressed.

I always figured that the only reason magazines and journals were published was to make money. The folks that advertise are paying the big bucks, therefore the magazine is going to print what these people want to read, or what they want us to read.

It is very basic propaganda. If you tell the masses that "all is well", and "be happy in your work", then the masses will begin to believe it. I am very curious to know how many people in our field read this stuff religiously.

Hey, I have come to an epiphany--it is all a plot! lol. Seriously, I think we are on to something....the hospitals pay for ad space, they won't pay for space on mags that criticize them or their ordinary business practices, ergo, we end up with articles like this blurb in the most recent issue of RN: cannot quote verbatim (I left the mag at work) but basically it was calling all managers to purchase all those nifty ANA sponsored (I swear it said that) pens, mugs, penlights what have you, for Nt'l Nurses Day May 6. These choice items can be personalized to your institution.......(I wanna blue one!) side thread: I find these little recognition gifts very patronizing--you want to show your appreciation of my talent--staff appropriately!

Oh, also re: my diligent research into this mag: didn't have a whole lot of time due to those pesky pts needing attention, but did read one article about a newborn who died after 7 days. A sad fact of life, but as I read this I coulcn't help but think about this thread. Apparently this RN didn't have any real conflicts w/ taking care of this family unit as they took the infant off the vent. etc. No other pts asked for this RN's time and/or attention, and the expiration occurred about 2 hours prior to the end of the shift. Sadness of this passing aside, where is reality here? In my world (not NICU), pts usually die around change of shift, there is no time or not enough time to provide the familiy with a mini-respite care (RN held baby for "awhile" while parents went to lounge)--I mean is this a Hallmark hospital or what?

Please, I am NOT dissing the compassion shown by this nurse nor am I dismissing the grief of these parents. It's just that to me, the story was just too pat. There were no interveneing variables such as pt ratio, time, personal issues the nurse may or may not have had,etc. It read like a bad romance novel or like an afterschool special--you know, all the problems etc. solved in one hour plus commercials......

Specializes in ICU.

Sorry to keep saying this but I believe we must make ourselves be heard. E-mail the magazine in question state it as eloquently as you have here and they will have to read it. They may throw it in the bin afterwars but they have to read it. If enough of us took the time to do this they would soon get the message no matter who buys advertising space.

gwenith-

what the heck is that a picture of??? the 50 ft wommin?

gwenith--I think I will take your advice. I will post any results etc. anyone know the web address for RN magazine--I really did leave it at work! See below:

Sakruz--yes, what exactly IS that a pic of? Is she green? Out of the corner of my eye, she resembles the grinch w/ little purple men......

I blame this on the inferior drugs of my youth.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
Originally posted by nurse-lou

Someone in my unit decided to post at the bedside (computer) a "did you remember to" list....mouth care, bath, pain assessment, turn, etc. Most RN's in my unit took this as a slap in the face as it was all basic nursing care type stuff. Some people removed it but it was just re-posted the next day.

I think that when a family member sees this list that they will become more vigilant in making sure that this stuff is done and being a bigger PIA than they already are sometimes!

OMG!!! Do you work in my unit? Our CNS did the same thing, with the same response. But she also included in her little post-it note that we are to also CHART IT in our progress notes. We already do far too much charting, so guess how many of us are writing it down? And the prediction about family? Bang on. Had an infant so unstable that any handling caused desats to the 50s and SBP drops to the 30's... Mom says, "It's been nearly three hours, when are you going to turn her?" Obviously didn't notice all the slight changes in position I'd been making everytime I had to touch the babe. Too bad the CNS isn't required to come down from her ivory tower once in a while and do some real patient care!

RN is the worst offender when it comes to "dumbed down" info; in my diploma program, nearly 20y ago, we were not allowed to even reference it in any papers we wrote. It was not considered professional in content.

"Revolution" in the only nsg. mag resolute in its refusal to accept ads, and I applaud them for it.

Maybe AJN has changed, but I got such a bad taste in my mouth from them previously, that I am not too interested in spending the $$ to see if they really have improved.

I agree w/ you fab4, really like revolution

................. and, do ya ever feel a little sorry for the nurse managers, who read these things, try the 'tips', and only manage to make their staff angrier..........wouldn't it be nice if they had some real, useful direction, such as meet with your nurses and set up QA/QI assessment and interventions based on actual unit tasks.................maybe I'll write an article, lol

I had a unit manager pu a "reminder list" at the nurses station one time. We started to put lists on the door to her office all the time. She finally got the hint. I am going to try and find a copy of revolution, i'm encouraged.

You like Revolution, fab4, because its named after a beatles song...

how does one acquire Revolution? Never hoid of it!

John Lennon rocks.

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