I work at Disney World now!!

LydiaNN · Nov 21, 2007

Disney is pretty notorious for treating people badly, I think.

wooh, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2007

I agree, but I don't agree with calling it "on stage".
How just about being professional, leave your personal lives at home, don't yell down the hall, don't swear, look presentable, speak with intelligence, etc. You get the idea.

That's exactly my thought. A reminder to be "professional" is ok with me. It at least recognizes that I'm a professional. Considering this "on stage" comment was in the middle of bunch of comments like reminding us that the patients are "our guests" and that we need to keep the patient's rooms clean (this was to the nursing staff, not a general email that would be sent to housekeeping as well), I'm having a lot of trouble reminding myself that I like being a nurse. After all, after reading all this, I'm having trouble remembering I'm a nurse, because apparently my employers think I'm a concierge at a hotel that picks up shifts as a maid.

woody62, RN · Nov 21, 2007

I remember several years ago my son worked at Disneyland and he used to ask me to become a park nurse. I think I checked into it once and it paid like crap. Plus they treated the employees like crap. So why would I want to work there? It does have this certain kind of "aura", but I would rather be able to make enough to pay for my tickets. Speaking of lack of support...I once saw the Disneyland nurse racing a wheelchair across the park with a large medical bag in it. I don't think I would like to be first on the scene if one of those pylons rip off and knock someones head off or if a kid loses a foot on a ride, yuch. But what the heck, "All the world's a stage".

I once had a fellow patient who had been an R.N. at Disney World. What she shared with me made me sick. To protect 'other park visitors' the rescue squad team must enter thru the underground tunnels that run under every part of each park. The ill or injured visitor must be moved from the public area. The paramedics are not allowed to be seen by any of the other visitors. She shared a story about a middle age father, there with his wife and three children, who suffered an arrest and dropped to the ground in the Main Street area. The supervisors were more concerned about moving him from public view then allowing her and another nurse visitor to start CPR on him. They were eventually allowed to and continued until the paramedics arrive. She told me she later learned he had died in the ER. She handed her resignation in the next day.

She told me they paid the worse of any employer in the Orlando area. And they are more concerned with protecting the family image then they are about getting help for the ill or injured visitor. I was there in August, one year, the hottest part of the year. I was in a wheelchair because I was recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident. I passed out, in my wheelchair, and my SIL sort help from a Park Supervisor. He wanted to wheel me into a back area. My SIL was infuriated, demanding they call for emergency help. He got so angry, I later learned, that my daughter feared he would punch the Park employee. I was transported to an area ER and received treatment. I haven't been back to Disney World since. And it was almost fifteen years ago. Nothing the Mouse's House does surprises me.

Woody:balloons:

bethin · Nov 21, 2007

by using the term "on stage" people are just trying to remind you that you have an audience. i don't mind that term, personally. shakespeare said "all the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players"
http://www.artofeurope.com/shakespeare/sha9.htm

ah, my favorite quote. i love shakespeare.

psalm, RN · Nov 21, 2007

The author of the book "IF Disney Ran Your Hospital" is Fred Lee. And he does state that the pay isn't all that great but people supposedly want to work there. It's a shame that image comes before emergency care, re: the post from Woody.

Medic04 · Nov 21, 2007

Oh wow thought you got a job there........

elizabells, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2007

Doesn't Disney have a deal with the local EMS that no one is to be pronounced dead on the property? Might be an urban myth, off to check snopes.com...

Edit: According to at least one medic, this is true, although snopes classifies it as false, because most people aren't pronounced dead until they reach a hospital anyway, regardless of any "deal". But I digress.

DDRN4me · Nov 21, 2007

My dd did a 6 month stint in Disney while in college. There are many "disney rules" which quite frankly are outrageous. Treat help like dirt. but dont let the image get blown at all costs. After seeing how they treated her I would never work there. and the tunnel stories are true.... much goes on below ground .

PS... my dream retirement job is a nurse on the beach at key west.....sitting with a margarita and treating all the other old dried up folks! :lol2:

PoppaD · Nov 21, 2007

I was going to mention the same book!

Sabby_NC · Nov 21, 2007

In high school my marching band got to march at Disney World. We got the whole speech about being in character in the park. And now I've officially gotten it at work (I didn't even hear that Disney bought us out!!)
I don't mind being friendly, but don't call it being "on stage." There comes a point where the customer service just crosses a line. This has crossed the line and gone so far that it can't even see the line anymore.
May not get respect as a professional nurse, but hey, maybe now I can get respected as a professional actor!

But do you like working there?:uhoh21:

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Nov 21, 2007

Our "top 10 hospital"actually DID have the disney PR people come to 'train' the employees (years ago) they started in the EDand I don't think they ever made it out alive!!!

EmmaG, RN · Nov 21, 2007

This sounds like an excerp from the book "If Disney ran your hospital" or a similar title. We are on stage, really, according the author, who worked for Disney for awhile and in hospital administration. I forget what he worked first, but then he has 9.5 tips for us in his book. I'm sure eBay or Amazon.com has a review or two...

Some of the concepts definitely stretch my current mindset on customer service (and after reading the book, you might even stop using that term). Lee talks about why perceptions are more important than reality, patient loyalty is more important than satisfaction, courtesy is more important than efficiency, and experience is more important than service. He also spends some time addressing the shortfalls of patient satisfaction surveys and competitive incentives for employees.

Hmm...