Minnesota Nurses Voted!

denicke · May 28, 2001

Thanks for the info. I'm sorry to say I had no idea all this was going on. I did email the newspaper with a note of support for my fellow nurses and told them a non nurse could not possibly imagine what you have endured to reach the point that you would consider a strike. My prayers and thoughts will be with you and your families. I will watch the board for updates. I am also putting copies of the postings on our staff bulletin board along with a green ribbon to raise awareness. Good luck!!

Jenny P · May 29, 2001

Thank you all for your support. I've worked 3 12 hour shifts in a row and it is getting harder and harder to recover from these stressful shifts. I am glad that you, my peers, are supportive of us. There are days that I wonder if nursing is worth it. PeggyOhio, I love your idea; it would certainly get the media's attention, wouldn't it? I will mention it at the all-nurse meeting scheduled today for strike planning.

There is so much stress in my workplace right now that I am actually looking forward to being off for a while; even if it is because of a strike. Maybe walking the picket line will help us build a stronger group resolve.

I am being written up right now for a "sentinel event"-- transferring a patient who may have stroked while I was caring for him for 4 hours Friday night. I came on and was told to transfer 2 patients- the previous nurse called report, but the patients needed moving as soon as the beds were ready. One had some left sided weakness that seemed to resolve after he slept 2 hours, so I transferred him. The next day I'm told he had an MRI that showed he showered emboli. I feel sick that I transferred the patient, but would have had to move him anywaay since he wasn't staffed for.

I am sick of being short staffed. My hospitals' float pool is pretty much non-existent at this point. Mandatory overtime is not allowed by our contract, but everyone has put in voluntary overtime to the best of their ability, and we are all TIRED! And there seems to be no end to this.

I am finding out that some of my co-workers are turning into witches and eating our new nurses on our station-- and these are people who haven't been nasty like this before.

Our patients' ages are frequently in the 80's and 90's; and they are having more and more complicated procedures- with more complications than ever before.

It isn't uncommon for our patients to be moved 2 or even 3 times in a 24 hour period because of staffing convenience- and then we wonder why they become confused.

I am sick and tired of "fast-tracking" post op open heart patients who are not ready to go-- or there aren't beds for them.

One of my co-workers has been loudly proclaiming at the front desk that she will cross the picket lines-- and insists on talking about the strike out where family members can hear her. She won't listen to reason, nor keep her comments out of earshot of the public.

On the good side, the Star Tribune Sunday came out with the front page headline "No. 1 issue for RNs: Staffing" and it told a nurses story for one awful day on a neuro floor right on the front page.

I'm done griping for now. We shall make it through all of this, and hopefully this may cause some positive changes in the future of nursing. And believe me, I am and will continue to write to the papers, my legislators, and anyone else that I think will listen. Peace to all.

[ May 30, 2001: Message edited by: Jenny P ]

Jenny P · May 30, 2001

Now that I am up at my usual time of day, life does not seem so bleak. What will I do to get oriented to being a day person again while we are on strike? The meeting I attended today was quite good; and I feel less stress now than I did on my earlier posting. :cool:

One of the things they brought up at the meeting was that we do not have to train or orient our "replacements;" but if our manager asks for orientation for himself or herself, we do have to orient him or her.

I felt comforted by the fact that I'm not the only nurse under stress from this strike, but it is so much easier to handle when you are with a large group of nurses who feel the same way you feel. And I feel much stronger for it.

fiestynurse · May 30, 2001

Hang in there Jenny P.!! Things are going to get ugly, but just stay strong with your convictions. Don't let the turkeys get you down!!

[ May 30, 2001: Message edited by: feistynurse ]

Jenny P · May 31, 2001

Thanks Feistynurse; I won't let them get me down; it's just all of the other stuff that's piling up that affects my mood. (And I thought I was past all the mood swings years ago!)

I was over making picketing signs and found out that my hospital called employee meetings and presented their offer-- offers that were never presented at the bargaining table!! I don't understand the motives behind this kind of behavior; did they think we wouldn't notice it?

Needless to say, MNA is filing unfair labor charges against them.