How Did Your Job Prepare for Magnet Status?

Lainee · Aug 4, 2007

I'd like to know too. Our hospital has just set the wheels in motion to apply.

More intranet polls have been coming through, shared governance committees have reorganized etc...

More nursing assistants have been hired.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

I'd like to know too. Our hospital has just set the wheels in motion to apply.
More intranet polls have been coming through, shared governance committees have reorganized etc...
More nursing assistants have been hired.

Right now, it is more of a hinderance and headache to me, especially as it gets closer. They are mandating us to come in a hour early to our clinics and stay about two hours afterwards to study material and the magnet marathons are always held at the most inconvienent times. It seems to be more like a cheerleading session than anything else. Most of us are really annoyed to say the least. Yes, we are getting the shared governance committees as well and many are forced to join whether they like it or not.

Now, they are speaking of having floral arrangements in each area, having magnet ambassadors to escort the surveyors to each area, walkie-talkies and cell phones will be used to announce to the units of their arrival. They will be selecting random names to sit with them for breakfast, lunch and supper. Almost like a homecoming. It's sickening, really... they will be announcing what they want us to wear those days, and the unoffical word is that all 'weak links' will be scheduled off. We didn't see more staff, really. Vacations are cancelled unless for extreme emergencies. Under the covers, though, we are still fighting like cats and dogs and not demonstrating Watson's theory in the least. I just want to know what I can possibly anticipate in case these folks come bugging me so I will not look like an idiot.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2007

I work at an almost magnet facility, they drive us nuts with the need to make patients happy but then they short shift us too often. I don't think they get it. A human can only do so much. Another bonehead maneuver was going smoke-free during magnet status attempt...geeze.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

Oh, and they are having us practice how we will introduce ourselves to them and how to actually smile and walk...like charm school. Actually, the real deal is that many act more like Flavor of Love Girls Charm School...LOL. Unbelieveable....

Lainee · Aug 4, 2007

oh my, that is awful and almost fraud!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

oh my, that is awful and almost fraud!

Exactly... :down:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

I work at an almost magnet facility, they drive us nuts with the need to make patients happy but then they short shift us too often. I don't think they get it. A human can only do so much. Another bonehead maneuver was going smoke-free during magnet status attempt...geeze.

YOU, too?? We can't smoke anywhere near the building, now.

Lainee · Aug 4, 2007

YOU, too?? We can't smoke anywhere near the building, now.

they are talking about making our hospital a smoke free campus. i don't smoke but I am against it. It will only make our smoking nurses walk further for their cigarrettes and leave me covering their patients longer.

Plus it keeps some of our patients sane to let them go out to have a cigarrette.

fronkey bean · Aug 4, 2007

My hosp. started the process but back out after they realized what they would have to do to meet the requirements. They didn't need to, they are the only hosp. in the area.

kcalohagirl · Aug 4, 2007

Pagandeva.......

Egads. That sounds sooooooooo much like what we were going through a year ago. No charm school though, thank gods. We were encouraged to study the forces of magnetism, and have a stock answer for each one. The "Magnet Team" would take a candy cart through on each shift and ask questions and reward us with chocolate for correct answers. (Hey, if you're gonna make me do something silly, at least feed me!) All nurses were supposed to put together a portfolio to have on hand. (I was so busy w/ orientation and just learning to be a nurse, that frankly, I didn't bother. They had my resume, it hadn't changed THAT much in 3 months.)

At least with self scheduling, I managed to schedule myself off for the entire visit! :lol2:

If I remember correctly, there were certain days that we knew they were looking at having the meals with the nurses, and there were certain nurses that were "available" on that day. I really didn't get too involved with the process, really. Like I said earlier, I was a brand new nurse and more concerned with orientation and doing my job than I was with getting all rah-rah for magnet.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

My hosp. started the process but back out after they realized what they would have to do to meet the requirements. They didn't need to, they are the only hosp. in the area.

I can give them credit; they saw that it was either a load of crock or that they simply don't have the energy to keep up with the fiasco. I am curious to hear from someone who feels that their hospital actually benefited from achieving magnet. I don't think that my hospital deserves it, quite frankly. It sounds like re-packaged information that they are not really doing, anyway. But, the joke is that they may actually get it anyway. What would disappoint me is if they did in fact, achieve it, then, business will go on as usual, because these idiots will believe that they can do anything and get what they want at the expense of intimidated nurses.:angryfire:angryfire