Loyalty to a nursing unit - page 2

I've been at my current workplace and on the same unit for 23 years. I never planned it that way; I'd never been anywhere longer than 3 years prior to this. Would I consider myself as being loyal to the facility? Not necessarily, but it has been one of the best places I have ever worked at in my 38 years in healthcare (33 as an RN).

33 of our staff of 80 have been here for 10 or more years; but we see many, many new staff that may be on our unit for less than 2 years and then they move on. Many of these move on to anesthesia school (we are a busy CV-ICU and applicants to anesthesia school benefit with experience on our unit).

It is frustrating to orient someone to a fast paced CV-ICU and have them leave in less than a year or so, but I never begrudge the ones who are going on to anesthesia school or must move because of their spouses having a job change. I do get tired of the "newbies" on the unit that demand to be oriented first on the new machines and devices, then demand better hours and perks than those of us who have been there for a while and then move on when they don't get their way. We try to educate and keep our new staff happy, but it seems as though it doesn't always pay off.

This is the WHOLE truth, the ABSOLUTE truth and NOTHING but the TRUTH-hence my name!!!!