It's a nurse's market

[goldilocksrn]

Here's what I don't understand...Every hospital in this country is short staffed and BEGGING for nurses to come and work at their facility. Yet, we are working in the worst possible conditions nurses have ever seen. The pay sucks!!! You would think that it was the only job we could ever get with the way we are paid. I went looking for jobs in my area, and all the other hospitals pay 5-6 bucks an hour more than the one I work at (CHW and non-union). Why are we putting up with this? It is our market and we should be making demands.

[Jenny P]

It is a nurses market right now; all we have to do is take a stand for ourselves and for our patients. As long as nurses are willing to come in early, not take breaks, and stay late without charging the hospital for overtime, the hospital does not have to pay for our services-- or look for extra staff. We need to get out of jobs that make us feel incompetent and into jobs that take full advantage of our skills. I love the job I have, but I do feel I am not being paid enough for what I have to know and do in the workplace. Our contract comes up this June, and there are rumors of "strike" every day. I do see some changes in nursing, we just all need to stand up for our selves and our rights. We may disagree amonst ourselves, but it is important to remember why we are doing what we do. Nurses are patient advocates; well, the patients' name is NURSING and we'd better start advocating NOW while the patient is critical, and not wait til the patient is dead. It's much easier to treat a live patient rather than doing CPR on one who is found down, pulseless, blue and has rigors setting in. Nursing is not there yet.

[OC_An Khe]

Chas.

You are correct as usual. Patients are admitted to the hospital for nursing care. This fact is (should be) obvious to all RN's as well as to everyone else in health care. To get non RN's to accept and publically agree to such a position is another challange that our profession needs to take.

[Tiara]

It is a nurse's market, but it's important to remember that puts a lot more on the nurse. For instance, hospitals need you and as long as you have a license, you might be able to go wherever. Does this mean it's safe practice for the nurse? Not necessarily but that's not of nearly as much consequence to the hospital as it is to the nurse. Remember, it's your license and make sure you are comfortable with your areas of expertise.