How is this for a kick in the pants.........

[babynurselsa, RN]

I know we all have times where we feel like our employers don't appear to value us very much.

But I think our manager has completely lost her mind.

A few weeks ago two of our core staff on the day shift decided they wanted to try the traveler thing. Our manager Ok'd for them to take a 13 week "leave of abscence, at the same time. Now bear in mind that we only have about 10 core staff for this shift. We staff an average of 5-7 nurses a day.

One of the girls immediately hated it and wanted to come back. Her only problem was she had to reimburse the traveler agency almost 1000.00 to break her contract. She came and asked our manager if they wouldn't pay this for her so she could come back now. THEY DID.

Last week I worked 60++ hours and as a token of appreciation I got some hand lotion.

I Love this girl she is my friend. She is an asset to the unit, but this whole situation makes me very very angry:devil: :devil:

I guess I am just having a hard time swallowing the notion that I and my other co-workers are worth some hand lotion and others are worth large sums of cash money.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH:(

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

OUCH!! That hurt. I can understand your frustration. But are you sure they GAVE her the money or did they just LOAN it to her and will get it back through payroll deduction? Or deduct it from a sign-on bonus, etc. I guarantee holding jobs for people who are traveling will come back to bite your manager in the butt. I know my manager was sitting on several positions that she couldn't fill because she was holding them for people on leave of absence for a long time, and of course they didn't come back. Most of them are back in town now, working at other hospitals (for either more pay, easier workloads, etc). We've always run short, from what I understand, but this past year or so has been worse than usual.

Makes you think, huh?

[Q.]

Actually, it sounds like this girl is very smart, and knows how to use the nursing shortage to her advantage.

My opinion? We should all do the same thing. If this girl can demand reimbursement or cash or whatever it is they gave her upon rehire, so can the rest of us.

Imagine. Demanding higher pay, more flexible scheduling, an actual Nursing Education department that cares and is funded, etc etc - and getting it. I think we should learn from this girl.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Lisa I agree very much with susy. Maybe YOU need a paid sabatical like this one. I would definately talk w/your manager about your feelings on this....you deserve more...60 hours a week????? MY heavens....you deserve MUCH more than UNCLE SAM taking most of what ya earned in overtime to cover these people who needed "to find themselves"---- tell your manager THAT! Hope all is well Lisa, I never see you online anymore. Could it be, you are ALWAYS at WORK??????!!!!!!!!!

[caliotter3]

A co-worker of mine left for a better opportunity one time and was told not to expect her job to be waiting for her if things did not turn out. She was told that she was welcome back (very valuable employee) but might have to settle for part time, if even that was available. Seems to me this is the way to do it. The managers are shooting themselves in the foot to hold jobs open for people that very likely will never come back.

[kids]

I'll bet my lunch that the $1000 was paid out of the recruitment fund.

[SmilingBluEyes]

yikes kidsrfun...disgusting thought. how NICE they invest so much in so few.

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

I think your friend is smart, you don't know what you will get unless you ask for it. In this market with the nursing shortage it just shows how valuable we are. I detect resentment on your part, are you jelous because the hospital viewed the other nurse as valuable and therefore agreed to pay her contract buy out? I think that working 60 hrs may be causing severe burnout on your part. I don't fault the other nurse for taking advantage of the nursing shortage, I admire her.